Lead Pharmacist - East Sussex

Job overview

Are you enthusiastic and passionate about improving the lives of patients with mental health problems, then apply for a lead pharmacist role in our Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Trust. We have an opportunity to support the inpatient units currently based in Eastbourne, which later this year, will be moving to a brand new purpose built unit in Bexhill. Combe Valley - a new mental health hospital for Bexhill :: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

You should have an interest for working within a specialist mental health service, an understanding of the medicines used and an awareness of the people we support and care for. The role will primarily be based at Combe Valley Hospital.

The post holder will be supported to undertake further accreditations as appropriate, and there are opportunities to develop the role and service to the inpatient wards and urgent care, allowing your vision for clinical care to grow with the service in a collaborative, holistic and accessible therapeutic environment.

You will be joining a friendly, supportive Pharmacy team which is highly regarded in the Trust . This role is a great opportunity to start or continue a career in mental health and can lead to a future senior role.

This post is subject to an enhanced check with adults barred list Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.

Main duties of the job

This role provides a high-quality clinical pharmacy and medicines optimisation service, ensuring that patients receive the maximum benefit from their medicines while promoting their safe, effective, and cost-efficient use. The post holder will support and advise healthcare professionals, enabling them to prescribe, administer, and monitor medicines safely and appropriately.

Working closely with pharmacy colleagues across the East Sussex locality of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the post holder will contribute as an integral member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and the wider Trust pharmacy service. Alongside  supporting the safe and effective use of medicines, the postholder will lead on delivering clinical pharmacy services, promoting medicines optimisation, and contributing to the continuous improvement of patient care, within Combe Valley Hospital.

The successful candidate will be a well-organised, adaptable, and motivated individual with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. They will be able to work independently, demonstrate sound clinical judgement, manage competing priorities effectively, and build strong collaborative relationships with colleagues across multidisciplinary teams.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The physical health of our mental health and learning disability patients is important to us, with the life expectancy of patients suffering serious mental health illness being reduced by 15 to 20 years, often through avoidable causes. The trust is committed to reducing this risk and the pharmacy team plays a leading role.

The role also encompasses line management, medicines management and education. The successful candidate will have experience of leadership or will be looking to develop their leadership skills through training, education and workplace exposure in line with the principles of the NHS Healthcare Leadership Model. Education and training are central to the aims of the pharmacy department and we actively seek to promote opportunities as such. We also recognise the importance in realising the potential of our team by providing training and expertise to patients and colleagues.

Please see the attached job outline and person specification for more details about this role.  For an informal discussion about the role, please refer to the contact details accompanying this advert to arrange this.