Job requirements
Essential
39 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Judgement
Intuition – anticipate difficulties and take appropriate action
- Judgement
Knows when to consult (own limitations)
- Judgement
Reflects on own practice and learns from experience
- Qualifications
MPharm Degree (4 years) or equivalent
- Qualifications
Member GPhC
- Qualifications
Postgraduate clinical diploma/qualification (or equivalent NHS hospital experience)
- Qualifications
Non-medical Prescriber (to be undertaken on appointment if not already a registered NMP)
- Qualifications
Evidence of CPD
- Other Requirements
Flexible and adaptive approach
- Personal Qualities
Self-motivated
- Personal Qualities
Articulate
- Personal Qualities
Willing to adapt to change and learn new systems
- Personal Qualities
Innovative
- Personal Qualities
Organised and methodical approach to work
- Personal Qualities
Have integrity in all aspects of work
- Personal Qualities
Committed to providing a high quality pharmacy service
- Skills & Abilities
Ability to provide a high level of pharmaceutical care within a specialism
- Skills & Abilities
Ability to holistically and critically analyse prescriptions and treatment plans
- Skills & Abilities
Advanced clinical assessment skills
- Skills & Abilities
Ability to work on own initiative or as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Skills & Abilities
Ability to work under pressure
- Skills & Abilities
Ability to supervise / mentor staff and support others
- Skills & Abilities
Good time management, ability to prioritise and evaluate appropriately
- Skills & Abilities
Computer skills
- Skills & Abilities
Aware of limitations
- Communication Skills
Excellent oral communication skills
- Communication Skills
Able to provide written information in a concise readable manner for patients and colleagues
- Communication Skills
Formal presentation skills
- Communication Skills
Excellent report writing skills
- Communication Skills
Facilitating and negotiating skills
- Communication Skills
Able to build effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders
- Knowledge & Experience
Relevant post-registration hospital pharmacy experience
- Knowledge & Experience
Thorough knowledge of care boundary issues and medication commissioning
- Knowledge & Experience
Clinical experience in rheumatology and of delivering clinical pharmacy services
- Knowledge & Experience
Experience of initiating, leading and managing a range of projects
- Knowledge & Experience
Experience of budgetary management and financial control
- Knowledge & Experience
Experience of managing and motivating staff, appraising and giving feedback
- Knowledge & Experience
Experience of audit and quality improvement
- Knowledge & Experience
Ability to work in a busy environment with daily contact with patients
Desirable
4 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Qualifications
Postgraduate qualification in rheumatology
- Qualifications
Membership of the Royal College of Pharmacy (prev. Royal Pharmaceutical Society)
- Knowledge & Experience
Experience of teaching or tutoring
- Knowledge & Experience
Experience of research practice
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our dynamic Pharmacy team as a Senior Pharmacist (Band 8a) working within the Rheumatology Directorate.
This position offers a wealth of unique clinical and professional development opportunities within the both the Rheumatology and Pharmacy Department.
The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional pharmaceutical care and services, working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team to support optimal patient outcomes.
You will:
- Work as an integral member of the multi-disciplinary team to provide specialist clinical pharmacy support to the Rheumatology service.
- Be responsible for leading and developing the clinical pharmacy service to the Medicines and Emergency Care (MEC) Division in accordance with the objectives set by the Divisional Lead Pharmacist, with particular emphasis on the Rheumatology Directorate.
- Provide highly specialised advice in all pharmaceutical matters.
- Work as an independent prescriber managing a defined patient caseload within Rheumatology.
- Ensure that medicine use within the Rheumatology speciality is safe, effective and cost effective.
- Work with the homecare pharmacy team to ensure appropriate use of homecare medicine supply.
- Monitor and provide comment on drug expenditure as required e.g in relation to high cost (biologics and biosimilars) and the introduction of new therapeutic agents.
Main duties of the job
Lead and deliver an advanced specialist pharmaceutical care service to patients within the rheumatology service, in accordance with the priorities set by the post-holder and the Clinical Lead Pharmacist, in order to ensure, safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient use of medicines and taking into account national and corporate priorities.
Lead the development of the Rheumatology pharmacy service including; setting up and delivering pharmacist-led rheumatology clinics, providing patient education on systemic treatments for rheumatology and initiate appropriate medication and associated monitoring ensuring accurate transfer of care information and follow up.
Maintain clinical competencies and support the Clinical Pharmacy team by working on in-patient wards or the dispensary.
In addition, you will be required to:
* Assist in the development of relevant policies, guidelines and pathways.
* Monitor compliance with NICE guidance and TAs, and other nationally and locally agreed guidelines, pathways and audits.
* Work with the homecare pharmacist to incorporate relevant treatments or undertake medicine switches.
* Proactively undertake quality improvement and/or research.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See attached documents for full details of the job description and person specification.
If you have any questions or would like to arrange an informal visit, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Please contact:
Hannah Robinson Hannah.robinson@elht.nhs.uk (Clinical Lead Pharmacist - Medicine) on 01254 732251 or
Emma Coupe Emma.coupe@elht.nhs.uk (Assistant Director of Clinical Pharmacy and Governance) on 01254 732791 or via email.
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 Senior Pharmacist - Rheumatology with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust in Blackburn, 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 28 Oct 2026.
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