Job overview
The Great Western Hospital is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity for a pharmacist to work with us as the lead for critical care and anesthetics.
This is a great opportunity for a pharmacist looking to specialise in intensive care medicine. As a key member of the multi-disciplinary team you will attend daily ward rounds and lead on all aspects of medicines optimisation and pharmaceutical care. You will be supported by a friendly team and work closely with the lead pharmacist for Surgery and Planned Care to innovate and and develop the service.
Main duties of the job
- Provide expert clinical pharmacy input to Critical Care, Anaesthetics and associated specialties, supporting the management of complex, critically ill patients
- Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of clinical guidelines, policies, SOPs and quality improvement initiatives to ensure safe, evidence-based and standardised practice
- Provide professional leadership, supervision and education for the pharmacy team and the wider multidisciplinary team
- Lead medicines governance and patient safety activities, including medication incident review, antimicrobial stewardship, clinical audit and implementation of national guidelines
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the position.
Clinical Leadership
- Provide expert clinical pharmacy input to Critical Care, Anaesthetics and associated specialties, supporting the management of complex, critically ill patients
- Act as an Advanced Clinical Pharmacist, providing specialist advice to consultants, junior medical staff, nursing teams and allied health professionals
- Lead medicines optimisation initiatives to improve patient safety and quality of care
- Critically appraise emerging evidence and translate research into clinical practice
Medicines Governance
- Lead the development, implementation and review of clinical guidelines, prescribing policies and standard operating procedures
- Lead medication safety reviews, incident investigations and implementation of risk reduction strategies
Leadership and Management
- Provide professional leadership and undertake line management duties
- Act as a role model for advanced clinical practice and professional behaviour
- Contribute to workforce planning and service resilience
Education and Training
- Deliver education programmes for the pharmacy team and the wider multidisciplinary team
- Support competency assessments and supervision of rotational pharmacists and trainee pharmacists
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.
Person specification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive post registration hospital experience at least at band 7 level or equivalent including management of highly complex patients
- Evidence of significant post registration experience and relevant clinical experience in delivering specialist clinical pharmacy services to critically ill patients
- Evidence of advanced practice in critical care medicines optimisation
- Experience of working across departmental and organisation boundaries to deliver specific targets and improve services for patients
- Knowledge of financial systems and structures within the NHS
- Demonstrable experience leading audit, quality improvement or practice development projects resulting in service change
- Experience developing policies and Guidelines
- Experience of developing and leading on projects including change management and service development
- Experience in supervising and training pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and students
Desirable
- Previous experience as a divisional pharmacist
- Experience of managing a team
- Experience of service development
- Experience of critical care
- Knowledge and clear understanding of Good Distribution Practice (EU GDP 2013/C 343/01), and other relevant regulations, guidance and quality standards
- Regular formal refresher training on EU GDP at least annually if no changes in legislation have occurred
Education, Qualification and Training
Essential
- MPharm Degree or equivalent
- Registered Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent
- Evidence of significant, relevant, and ongoing CPD
- Independent prescriber or working towards qualification
- Leadership experience/ qualification
Desirable
- Formal Leadership Experience / Qualification
- Member of Royal College of Pharmacy
- Credentialing against RPS Advanced Pharmacist Framework
- Critical care diploma or equivalent specialist training
- Active member of UKCPA
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Lead Pharmacist - Critical Care and Anaesthetics with Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Swindon, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Pharmacist role. The advertised salary is £57,528 - £64,750 Per annum. The contract type is Permanent: Weekend, bank holiday, late night, on call if rotas require.. The application deadline is 30 Aug 2026.
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