Skip to main content

This site is independent of the NHS and the Department of Health.

Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Cancer Pharmacy
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Per annum inclusive of HCAS)
Job ref
391-RFL-7812840
Employer
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Free Hospital
Town
London
Salary
£64,156 - £71,148 Per annum inclusive of HCAS
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
13/04/2026 23:59

Employer heading

NHS

Band 8a Senior Specialist Pharmacist - Cancer Services

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community.  This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.

Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey. Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.

Click here to view our video Welcome to the Royal Free

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is committed to fair and transparent recruitment and requires applicants to provide accurate information, as misleading details may affect their application or employment and may be verified in line with the Fraud Act 2006. For further information please visit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.

 

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic pharmacist to join our well-established cancer pharmacy team. The role is mainly clinic based, providing prescribing, monitoring and screening of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) prescriptions including ensuring doses are within protocol and take into account blood results and comorbidities. This role will also allow you to develop your specialist pharmacy skills including writing clinical guidelines, maintaining the SACT prescribing system and understanding funding streams and commissioning processes for high-cost drugs.

This role would be expected to cover a prescribing clinic once a week, reviewing and prescribing SACT as a non-medical prescriber.

This  post will be based at the Royal Free Hospital Hospital but would occasionally be expected to work at Barnet Hospital or Chase Farm hospital as well.

You may be a band 7 pharmacist looking to further develop your skills within cancer services or a current 8a pharmacist looking to move towards a prescribing and managerial role. The successful applicant will be a team player who ideally has some experience of working in SACT clinics and/or in the screening and verification of chemotherapy. Full support and training will be given.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities for the role include:

Prescribing and monitoring of SACT including ensuring safe, appropriate and cost effective use of anti-cancer medicines
To provide clinical screening support for the supply of systemic anti-cancer medicines (SACT) including ensuring:
Anti-cancer treatment prescribing is in accordance with an approved protocol or ensuring an ‘off-protocol’ form has been completed
Anti-cancer treatment is in accordance with NICE / CDF guidelines or criteria for use
Funding arrangements are in place prior to commencing treatment
Doses are correct, taking into account laboratory results, dose reductions and previous treatments
Appropriate supportive medicines have been prescribed
Provision of a clinical pharmacy service to patients on the cancer wards including medicines reconciliation, supply of medicines and timely preparation of discharge medicines
The post holder would be expected to cover a prescribing clinic once a week as a non-medical prescriber reviewing patients and prescribing for them under the mentorship of an oncologist.
Provision of expert medicines advice to nursing and medical staff
To contribute to the continuing development of policies and procedures within the specialist area
Forecasting new drug developments and identifying changes in prescribing practice that may impact on the drugs budget
Ensuring SACT is appropriately funded and in-line with NICE/CDF guidance

Working for our organisation

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.
Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top
For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Person specification

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Master’s degree in pharmacy (or equivalent)
  • GPhC (GB) registration
  • Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent
  • Registered supplementary or independent prescriber
Desirable criteria
  • Advanced qualification in specialist area

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Considerable experience working in hospital pharmacy and some experience as a specialist clinical pharmacist working with cancer patients
  • Experience of screening chemotherapy
  • Experience of managing change and leading service developments
  • Experience of managing and analysing drug expenditure and high-cost drugs
  • Experience of writing / implementing clinical guidelines and government directives
  • Experience of multidisciplinary working
  • Evidence of clinical audit/drug evaluation/practice research and the promotion of evidence-based practice
  • Experience of appraising staff and giving feedback
  • Experience in delivering education and training
  • Comprehensive band 6/7 rotation
  • Experience as a clinical pharmacy tutor
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working in cancer clinics

Skills and aptitudes

Essential criteria
  • Good written and verbal communication skills
  • BOPA Passport – completion of adult level 2c haematology and completion of adult level 2c solid tumour
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Good negotiation skills and the ability to influence medical, pharmacy and management staff
  • Ability to manage a complex workload
  • Good presentation skills
  • Good teaching and training skills
  • Good management skills
  • Ability to carry out day to day responsibilities and deal effectively with unpredictable/acute demands
  • Ability to justify and reason any advice given should this be challenged
  • Ability to communicate with patients/carers and staff of all levels
  • Ability to manage time, people and resources to deliver timely outcomes
  • Ability to work alone and a part of a team
  • Ability to work accurately under pressure
  • Ability to integrate in a multidisciplinary forum
  • Ability to manage difficult and ambiguous situations
  • Ability to motivate and act as a role model
  • Demonstrates initiative particularly in relation to problem solving
  • Ability to identify and implement best practice
  • Ability to identify and manage risk
  • Undertakes own research
  • Critical appraisal skills
  • Ability to take full responsibility for and be accountable for own actions
  • Higher level of clinical reasoning and judgment
  • Ability to take full responsibility for and be accountable for own actions
  • Ability to contribute to business plans, policies and clinical protocols
  • Understanding of clinical risk and clinical governance
  • Understanding of current national standards, guidelines and service delivery issues relevant to cancer patients
  • Understanding of NHS national and local priorities
  • Computer literate (including word processing, email & use of internet) Preferably knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages)
Desirable criteria
  • Demonstrates expert clinical knowledge and pharmaceutical care skills in the field of Cancer

Personal Qualities & attributes

Essential criteria
  • Enthusiastic/positive attitude
  • self-motivated
  • hardworking
  • Identifies own training needs actively seeks training opportunities and maintains a portfolio of practice
  • Flexibility to work weekends, bank holidays, late nights and on call and potential 7 day working
  • Reliable with good attendance record

Royal Free World Class Values

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Nursing TimesApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleDisability confident employerTimewise PartnerCare Quality Commission - Requires improvementEnei MemberArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Clayton Wong
Job title
Principal Pharmacist Cancer Services (RFH)
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
02074726306
Additional information

Simon Jenkinson, RFL Pharmacy Cancer Lead Pharmacist, email: [email protected]

Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies