Job summary
Principal Pharmacist - Speciality Medicine
Department: Pharmacy
Band 8a £53,755 - £60,504 Per annum
Hours: per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
Are you an experienced pharmacist with a passion for the care of acute medical patients? Would you like to be part of our multi-disciplinary team who contribute to the care of acutely unwell patients at the very beginning of their hospital journey? Are you keen to develop our approach to pharmaceutical care for acutely unwell patients? If this describes you, we invite you to get in touch with us.
Now is an excellent time to become part of the pharmacy team at MKUH; we are a friendly, forward-thinking, and innovative department who continue to grow in both size and influence. Recent enhancements to our working environment include a major departmental refurbishment, the introduction of a new Pharmacy Robot, the establishment of a new Pharmacy and Aseptic Unit in the Cancer Centre, and the opening of a new Outpatient Pharmacy.
Are you the person to help us make this happen? If so, we look forward to hearing from you.
For additional information about this post, please contact: Jill McDonald (Associate Director of Pharmacy - Clinical Services, Education, Training & Workforce) on 01908 995712 or
Interview date: w/c 16th December 2024
Main duties of the job
Our services are evolving to provide our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with more time to work alongside patients while supporting their medical and nursing colleagues. Our commitment is to ensure that every patient receives safe, high-quality care, placing our patients at the heart of our mission. This role is an ideal opportunity for a skilled and dedicated pharmacist looking for experience at a more senior level.
To support the provision of clinical pharmacy services across the Medical Division, we are looking for an enthusiastic, highly motivated pharmacist to join our team and lead the Medicines Optimisation services to our Medical Admission Unit and Acute Medicine Wards.
Working alongside the Pharmacist Manager / Clinical Lead for Medicine and other Principal Pharmacists with the Division of Medicine, you will be responsible for the development and delivery of Medicines Optimisation and Clinical Pharmacy services across the medical division and for the management of specialist, rotational and foundation pharmacists working within your area.
Our standard working hours consist of four long days (8 am to pm) per week; in addition you will be required to work Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays on a rota basis. After a period of induction and training, you will contribute to the two-tier pharmacy out-of-hours service.
About us
'90% reported feeling trusted to do their job and always knowing their responsibilities.' (NHS Staff Survey 2023).
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
1. Free on-site parking
2. Free tea and coffee
3. Great flexible workingopportunities
4. Discounted gym membership
5. Lease car scheme
6. Generous annual leave and pension scheme
7. On site nursery (chargeable)
8. Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for an individual who shows a commitment to delivering excellence and working with us to make pharmacy a great place to be, for all staff in our wider team.
A can-do approach and commitment to self and service development is essential. If you are passionate about medicines optimisation and developing pharmacy services for the future, this post is an ideal opportunity for you to build upon your clinical experience and further develop your management and leadership skills.
This role is crucial to the delivery, development, and evaluation of pharmaceutical services across the hospital. It plays a key part in helping divisions optimise medicines use within available resources.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Knowledge
Essential
9. Degree in Pharmacy
10. Registered with the GPhC
11. Postgraduate Clinical Diploma
12. Evidence of ongoing CPD as required by the GPhC.
Desirable
13. Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
14. MSc in Clinical Pharmacy Practice.
15. Independent Prescriber.
16. Education and Training qualification.
Experience
Essential
17. Significant post registration experience with at least 3 years in a hospital clinical post.
18. Proven experience in medical services.
19. Experience of managing drug expenditure for a specialty and understanding budgets.
20. Previous evaluations reviews of medicines used in the specialty's patient group.
21. Experience as a trainer
22. Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care.
23. Experience of audit work.
24. Personnel management
25. Service development
26. An awareness of national standards and service delivery issues relevant to the directorate's patient group.
Desirable
27. Experience of appraising staff and giving feedback
28. Medicines Information.
29. Management qualification
30. Introduction of a new service
31. Project management
32. Published work
33. Knowledge of the medical management of disease in the specialty's patients.
Skills
Essential
34. Ability to manage time effectively and work to deadlines demonstrated in a previous post.
35. Ability to plan, prioritise and organise self and others.
36. Effective verbal and written communication demonstrated in a previous post.
37. skills such as computer literacy, word processing and spreadsheet skills.
38. Managerial skills.
39. Communication skills.
40. Good presentation skills.
41. Report writing.
42. Problem solving.
43. Good team work and ability to work alone.
Desirable
44. Leadership skills.
45. Critical appraisal skills.
46. Radical thinking.
47. Innovative.
48. Ability to motivate and act as a role model.
49. Ability to use Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
Personal and people development
Essential
50. Experience of supervising and developing colleagues.
51. Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
Communication
Essential
52. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others.
53. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.