Job overview

Lead Pharmacist – Medicines Optimisation and Governance

 An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated pharmacist to join North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust in a key leadership role.

We are looking to appoint a Lead Pharmacist – Medicines Optimisation and Governance to provide expert pharmaceutical governance, advice and leadership across the Trust, ensuring the safe, effective and innovative use of medicines in pre-hospital and urgent care settings.

This role is vital in supporting our mission to provide safe, effective and responsive care for all.

This is an exciting time to join the medicines team as we implement our strategic medicines Roadmap.  We are currently implementing a new Medicines management IT system for temperature control; an electronic controlled drugs register and stock management. From October we will be packing medicines bags in house in a dedicated medicines packing unit.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will provide the Trust’s with Pharmacist advice on all matters relating to medicines optimisation and medicines governance.

You will lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of medicines policies, procedures, and strategies, working closely with clinical and operational teams. 

 Key responsibilities include:

 Providing a high quality and comprehensive medicines specialist  advice on medicines governance and legislation.

• Provide pharmacist supervision for the in house Medicines Packing Unit (MPU) which includes packing of drugs bags and supply of Controlled Drugs (CDs) to the Trust.
• Professional secretary for the Medicines Optimisation and Governance Group (MOGG).  Lead co-ordinator for Patient Group Directions (PGDs.)
• Leading medicines governance, audit and risk reduction activities.
• Ensuring safe systems for procurement, storage, supply, and disposal of medicines across the Trust.
• Support and deputise for the Chief Pharmacist
• Supporting education and training of staff in medicines-related competencies.
• Working collaboratively with regional and national stakeholders on medicines optimisation initiatives.
• Representing the Trust at external governance and pharmacy networks.

 You will also contribute to clinical and corporate governance frameworks and support the delivery of the Trust’s strategic priorities related to patient safety and quality of care.

Working for our organisation

We employ 3,500 staff in 63 locations and serve a population of 2,600,000 in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham, and Tees over 3230 square miles.

Many people think the job of the ambulance service is to collect patients and take them to hospital, but we do much more!

Paramedic skills have developed hugely in recent years, meaning we carry out more treatment at the scene and en-route to hospital.

We have a dedicated clinical assessment service that allows us to provide patients with the most appropriate care from the beginning of the patient journey.

We have a specialised branch of the Trust called HART which deal with explosions or terrorist attacks.

Ultimately patients are the heart of everything that we do to support our mission of "safe, effective and responsive care for all".

We value and respect the diversity employees bring to our workplace. We recruit a workforce that reflects the community we serve, and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. To ensure we deliver on our aims in relation to diversity and inclusion we assess ourselves against a range of frameworks. We are ENEI Gold employer, Disability Confident Leader, Dementia Friendly, and part of Mind Blue Light programme and the Race at Work Charter from the Princes Responsible Business Network and are achieving across all objectives in NHS Equality Delivery System.

From 01/04/25 If your role needs a DBS you'll be subject to salary deduction totaling £49.50, spread over first and second pay.