Job overview
We are seeking an experienced and motivated pharmacist to join our Pharmacy team on a full-time, fixed-term basis. Working within Older People’s Services, you will provide specialist clinical pharmacy support, expert medicines optimisation advice, and leadership to multidisciplinary teams across the Trust.
This role offers the opportunity to influence patient care, support service development, supervise and mentor pharmacy staff, and contribute to audit, research, and quality improvement initiatives. We are looking for a pharmacist with excellent clinical knowledge, strong communication skills, and a passion for delivering high-quality care for older patients.
If you are looking to further develop your specialist practice within a supportive and forward-thinking pharmacy department, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be required to:
- Assist the lead pharmacist in the delivery, development and evaluation of a high-quality clinical pharmacy service for Older People.
- Provide expert advice on pharmaceutical matters, undertaking risk management and ensuring compliance with medicines legislation.
- Participate in clinical audit and practice research.
- Undertake training of pharmacy staff and other member of the multi-disciplinary team.
- Actively deprescribe as a fully independent pharmacist prescriber and provide training in use of deprescribing tools to support reduction of polypharmacy in frail patients as per the Trust and departmental policies and procedures.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for a full list of duties and details about the role.
The Pharmacy Department at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust operates across three sites, with over 100 staff members. The main department is based at Watford General Hospital.
The department provides a stimulating, friendly and professionally rewarding environment for staff to develop their clinical expertise.
Person specification
Knowledge:
Essential
- Prescription Monitoring.
- Computer and IT Literate.
- Need for Confidentiality.
- Well-developed therapeutic and clinical pharmacy knowledge in appropriate area.
- Up to date knowledge of national pharmacy issues.
- Critical appraisal skills.
- Preparation of written reports and procedures.
- NHS organisational structure.
Desirable
- Health and Safety.
Experience:
Essential
- Post qualification experience in hospital pharmacy including experience in the specialty in an acute setting.
- Recent experience in providing clinical pharmacy services to Older People.
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Training Pre-reg Pharmacists and Junior Staff.
- Audit/research and development.
Desirable
- Project management.
- Managing Staff.
- Clinical tutoring of postgraduate trainee pharmacists.
Education and qualifications:
Essential
- MPharm (or equivalent overseas degree).
- Registered with General Pharmaceutical Council.
- Certificate in Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent).
- MSc/Diploma in Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent).
- Registered Independent Non-Medical Prescriber.
- Management Training.
Desirable
- Management Qualification.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Band 8A - Highly Specialist (Advanced) Pharmacist, Older People with West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in Watford, East of England, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Pharmacist role. The advertised salary is £59,798 - £67,020 inc HCA. The contract type is 12 months (Fixed Term/ Secondment from 1st August 2026 to 31st July 2027). The application deadline is 20 Jul 2026.
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