Job requirements
Essential
34 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Relevant post-registration hospital pharmacy experience, or equivalent documented clinical experience, for example in mental health.
- Experience
Experience of delivering training and supervising others.
- Experience
Experience of audit and/or practice-based research.
- Experience
Experience of collaborative multidisciplinary working.
- Experience
Experience of pharmacy electronic medicines management systems.
- Experience
Experience of working through organisational change and understanding its effect on behaviours and processes.
- Qualifications
Masters qualification in Pharmacy (4 years), or equivalent qualification, plus 1-year pre-registration training and experience.
- Qualifications
Member of the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Qualifications
Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent documented clinical experience
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Excellent written communication, organisational and Microsoft Office skills
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to work collaboratively with, and influence, staff from different professions and grades.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to use initiative, work effectively within a team and solve problems using lateral thinking.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to prioritise competing demands, work accurately under pressure and meet deadlines.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Good general clinical knowledge and practical clinical skills.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Knowledge of national guidance, including NICE guidance, and evidence-based practice relevant to cardiology.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Good understanding of adverse drug reactions and associated reporting requirements.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Knowledge of NHS medicines management, clinical governance and modernisation agendas.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development and willingness to undertake training for a prescribing role.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Maintains patient confidentiality and acts with honesty and integrity.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Responds positively to constructive feedback and treats patients and colleagues with empathy and sensitivity.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Interested in expanding knowledge and personal competencies through a commitment for self-development and continuing development
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to travel to study days and other work locations, using private or public transport, as required across a 24-hour service.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Flexibility in working (shifts, weekends, bank holidays)
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Good working knowledge of standard computer software
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to undertake the moderate physical activity required by the role.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to work flexibly and reliably.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Ability to prioritise own work effectively
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Self-motivated, persistent and persuasive
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Aware of own limitations and able to ask for help when needed
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Ability to cope with difficult situations
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Caring nature, enjoy helping and being with other people, committed to patient care
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Requirement to work in both the pharmacy department and at ward level
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Work at ward level may involve exposure to infectious diseases with the use of appropriate PPE.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Dispensing / checking / handling of hazardous materials e.g. cytotoxic medicines
Desirable
15 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Medicines information or aseptic services experience.
- Experience
Project management experience
- Experience
Experience of policy, guideline and service development
- Experience
Risk management
- Experience
Staff management
- Experience
Experience of developing electronic prescribing systems.
- Qualifications
Independent prescribing qualification (V300 or equivalent)
- Qualifications
Relevant master’s or postgraduate qualification relating to cardiology.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to develop services within the designated clinical area.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
IT skills relevant to electronic prescribing system development.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Effective teaching and tutoring skills.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to lead and manage change, motivate others and support team development.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to manage time, staff and resources to deliver agreed outcomes.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Able to identify, assess and manage risks.
- Skills, knowledge and competencies
Expert knowledge of drug-related hospital admissions and adverse drug reactions.
Job overview
We are recruiting a Band 8a Lead Pharmacist for Cardiology to work 22.5 hours per week across Warrington and Halton Hospitals.
You will lead and develop the cardiology pharmacy service, combining specialist clinical practice with service development, medicines governance, financial management, education and influencing prescribing.
The main inpatient service is based at Warrington Hospital’s 27-bed Acute Cardiac Care Unit, with eight high-care beds with cardiac monitoring and 19 core cardiology beds. Working closely with consultants, specialist nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team, you will support patients with complex cardiovascular conditions.
You will take professional responsibility for pharmacy’s contribution to cardiology, setting priorities, improving services and supporting new treatments to ensure medicines are used safely, effectively and within available resources.
We welcome applications from established Band 8a pharmacists and experienced Band 7 pharmacists ready to lead a specialty. You may bring substantial cardiology experience or strong hospital pharmacy experience and an interest in developing in this area.
A postgraduate cardiology qualification and independent prescribing qualification are desirable, rather than essential. Applicants who are not independent prescribers must be willing to undertake the appropriate training.
Main duties of the job
The Lead Pharmacist for Cardiology will lead the specialty’s clinical pharmacy service and be the main contact for medicines-related matters.
The post holder will:
- Provide and oversee highly specialist cardiology pharmacy care, from medicines reconciliation and clinical review to safe, timely discharge.
- Attend consultant ward rounds and advise colleagues on complex medicines issues, treatment and monitoring.
- Develop and review prescribing guidelines, protocols and pathways, applying NICE guidance, formulary decisions, safety communications and evidence locally.
- Work with clinical, management and finance teams to monitor medicines expenditure, explain changes and improve value.
- Undertake horizon scanning, assess the clinical, operational and financial impact of new medicines, and support their safe introduction and review.
- Lead or contribute to audit, service evaluation, quality improvement and practice-based research.
- Review medication incidents and medicines-related risks, translating learning into practice.
- Provide supervision, teaching and professional support to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, foundation pharmacists, students and other healthcare professionals.
- Undertake prescribing and clinic-based work when appropriately qualified and assessed as competent.
- Contribute to wider pharmacy services, including late, weekend, bank holiday, dispensary and emergency duties.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will lead cardiology pharmacy at Band 8a, combining specialist patient care with leadership, governance and service development.
Responsibilities include:
- Providing highly specialist cardiovascular care, medicines reconciliation, review and care planning.
- Joining consultant ward rounds and advising patients, carers and clinicians on treatment and monitoring.
- Supporting safe discharge through prescription checks and communication with primary and community care.
- Undertaking prescribing and clinics once trained, registered and assessed as competent.
- Acting as cardiology’s pharmacy lead, agreeing priorities with the Principal Pharmacist and cardiology teams.
- Developing guidelines and pathways and implementing NICE, formulary and medicines safety recommendations.
- Monitoring expenditure and prescribing trends, supporting cost-effective care and assessing, introducing and reviewing new treatments.
- Managing medicines risks and incidents, applying learning and contributing to audit, evaluation, improvement and research.
- Representing Pharmacy at specialty and Trust meetings.
- Supervising, teaching and supporting pharmacy staff, students and other professionals, while maintaining specialist competence.
- Supporting services under pressure, dispensary work and Responsible Pharmacist duties.
- Joining late, weekend, bank holiday and emergency rotas and working across Trust sites.
See the full job description and person specification for details.
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.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Lead Pharmacist for Cardiology with North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust in Warrington, 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. The application deadline is 24 Sep 2026.
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