Lead Pharmacist Cancer Services - Haematology

Job overview

University Hospitals Sussex greatly values its  SACT pharmacy team, which has grown significantly in both expertise and capacity in recent years. We are now delighted to offer a fixed‑term or secondment opportunity for an experienced pharmacist to join us as our Lead Haematology Pharmacist.

You will be joining a highly skilled and well‑established team of SACT pharmacists at an exciting time of service development. We are expanding our clinical pharmacy workforce and increasing our patient‑facing services across cancer pathways. In this role, you will work across all areas of SACT pharmacy while developing your specialist haematology expertise and contributing to the continued enhancement of the service.

Prescribing skills are welcomed but not essential, and the post offers opportunities to develop the clinical experience needed to progress towards non‑medical prescribing in future roles.

As a core member of the SACT service, you will work closely with the medical, nursing and wider multidisciplinary teams to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care for patients receiving systemic anti‑cancer therapy.

We are seeking a dynamic, proactive and motivated pharmacist who is keen to drive service improvement and support innovation within cancer services. If you are ready to take the next step in your career, broaden your specialist knowledge and gain valuable leadership experience, this role provides an excellent opportunity to do so.

Main duties of the job

As Lead Pharmacist for Cancer Services – Haematology, you will provide highly specialist clinical pharmacy expertise to the multidisciplinary haematology service at Worthing Hospital. You will act as the senior pharmacy lead for haematology, ensuring the safe, effective and evidence‑based use of SACT across inpatient and outpatient pathways.

You will deliver advanced clinical input at clinics, ward rounds, and MDTs; oversee the screening of SACT prescriptions; and support the planning and coordination of chemotherapy production with the aseptic unit. The role includes leading service development, clinical governance, policy and guideline production, and contributing to quality improvement and safety initiatives across cancer pharmacy services.

You will also be responsible for the training, supervision, and professional development of pharmacists, technicians and other staff involved in cancer care, acting as a role model for advanced clinical pharmacy practice. The post holder will work collaboratively with colleagues across UHSussex and the wider cancer network to support high‑quality, patient‑centred care.

We welcome applications from GPhC‑registered pharmacists with relevant postgraduate qualifications and experience working at, or ready to progress to, a specialist level.  Call and have a chat or even better come and see us if convenient.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years’ experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.

If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.

You will lead and develop the clinical pharmacy service for haematology, providing expert pharmaceutical advice to clinicians, patients and carers. You will integrate fully within the haematology MDT and contribute to excellent patient care through clinical screening, medicines optimisation, prescribing support (if NMP‑qualified), and participation in pre‑chemotherapy consultations.

You will ensure robust governance for cancer medicines, including authoring and reviewing Trust‑wide SOPs, policies and treatment guidelines. You will support safe SACT prescribing in line with national guidance, local protocols, NICE and Cancer Drugs Fund requirements.

The post holder will champion service improvement, lead audits and quality improvement projects, and contribute to strategic planning for cancer pharmacy services across the Trust. You will line‑manage and support the development of pharmacy colleagues, delivering teaching, training and competency assessment for staff involved in cancer care.

The role requires strong communication skills, advanced clinical judgement, and the ability to work autonomously while developing effective relationships across pharmacy, cancer services, and external partners. You will contribute to research activities, clinical trials support, and the wider UHSussex strategy to deliver Excellent Care Everywhere.