Lead Pharmacist - Division of Surgery & Cancer

Job overview

The Lead Pharmacist for the Division of Surgery and Cancer is a senior clinical and managerial role within the Trust’s pharmacy service, based at Leighton Hospital. The post holder will lead and develop high-quality, patient-focused clinical pharmacy services across surgical and cancer pathways, supporting inpatient and outpatient care.

This post is offered at 36.75 hours per week. We welcome candidates who may wish to work slightly fewer contracted hours, which can be explored at interview.

We are committed to an inclusive pharmacy workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve, creating a compassionate and respectful environment where all staff feel valued and supported.

Working with consultants, specialist nurses and multidisciplinary teams, the post holder will ensure safe, effective and evidence-based use of medicines, including optimisation, prescribing support and development.

The role provides strategic leadership across the division, including service planning, workforce development and implementation of medicines guidance. It combines advanced clinical practice with governance, education and financial responsibilities, including risk management, audit, training and budget oversight.

The post holder will lead the pharmacy team, promoting an inclusive culture of learning, wellbeing and continuous improvement.

The role requires expert clinical judgement and carries significant responsibility. Participation in on-call, weekend and late rotas is expected.

Main duties of the job

The Lead Pharmacist is responsible for managing and developing clinical pharmacy services within the Division of Surgery and Cancer. Key duties include leading medicines optimisation activities such as medicines reconciliation, drug utilisation reviews, concordance programmes and implementation of evidence-based and national guidelines at a local level. The post holder works directly on wards and in clinics, participating in consultant ward rounds and multidisciplinary meetings to support high-quality prescribing and patient care.

The role includes leadership of the pharmacy team serving the division, with responsibility for recruitment, appraisal, workforce planning, supervision and training. The post holder supports the development of non-medical prescribing, shared care arrangements and seamless transfer of care across healthcare interfaces. Governance responsibilities include leading audit, research, risk management, incident reporting and pharmacy involvement in clinical trials.

The Lead Pharmacist supports the division in managing its medicines budget by monitoring expenditure, forecasting cost pressures and contributing to business cases and formulary decisions. Education and training of medical, nursing and pharmacy staff form a key part of the role, alongside maintaining personal professional development and acting as a role model for professional practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To read more information about the advertised role, and the main job duties/responsibilities please open the Job Description and Person Specification located under the supporting documents heading.