Job summary County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest integrated care providers in England, serving a population of around 600,000 people. We are a high performing organisation with a track record of success. As a pharmacy service we pride ourselves in working at the leading edge of clinical pharmacy practice and medicines management with our teams achieving national recognition for innovative, high-quality patient care. We are looking for a dynamic and forward thinking Senior Clinical Pharmacist with a specialist interest in caring for frailty patients, to join the CDDFT team. The post will be based at Darlington Memorial Hospital but the post holder will be required to visit the other main sites in order to deliver key objectives. Main duties of the job This clinical role provides excellent opportunities to develop specialist knowledge and work closely with an established fraility team to provide a meaningful clinical input into the care of patients. There are well established, good working relationships between pharmacy and the frailty teams and a key part of the role will be to continue to work closely with the MDT to deliver the governance agenda, teaching, safety improvements, and further develop the role. Key developments in frailty at CDDFT include acute frailty teams, and new in spring 2025 an acute frailty unit providing same day emergency care and Hospital Home totaling 60 beds across the trust. The successful candidate will be supported with mentoring and development opportunities including independent prescribing, RPS portfolio development and other education opportunities. Applicants need to be able to work autonomously, and be a team player whilst motivating others. The post will provide leadership and expertise to the other pharmacists and technicians within the Trust and will support the Lead Pharmacists in moving the Trust pharmacy strategy forward. Visits to the department are welcomed. About us If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented From April 1 2024 we are unable to offer sponsorship for healthcare roles that do not meet the minimum salary, If you are in the UK on a VISA please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post. Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents Date posted 20 February 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8a Salary £53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum, pro rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Part-time Reference number C9439-25-0157 Job locations Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust Hollyhurst Road Darlington County Durham DL3 6HX Job description Job responsibilities Lead and manage a team of pharmacy staff and be responsible for managing the delivery of safe, effective and efficient pharmacy and medicines management services to a defined group of patients and service users. Provide and support the delivery and development of pharmacy and medicines management services within the trust, including involvement in research and audit. Work closely with the other Trust specialist frailty pharmacists to develop the service across all trust sites. This will include representing the directorate at speciality meetings, providing training to pharmacy staff, providing specialist advice and expertise to all members of the directorate, the Trust and the wider health economy. Maintain and develop a portfolio of personal clinical activity within the trust at a level commensurate with a senior pharmacist. Employ models of practice that recognises the needs of patients and carers whilst maintaining practice that is embedded in the principles of risk minimisation and patient safety Supervise, support and develop other pharmacy staff, in particular junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists, and other Trust personnel as required Monitor the practice of other healthcare professionals, including medical staff, to ensure that prescribing and medicines use is safe and effective for patients. This would include the resolution of local prescribing issues and contribution to the education and training of clinical and non-clinical staff to promote safe and effective medicines use within the trust. Work closely with patients and healthcare professionals including consultant staff and Care Group leads to ensure services are developed and delivered in a manner that is consistent with the priorities and needs of patients and other service providers. Liaise with other pharmacy teams, healthcare professionals and agencies both within and external to the Trust to consider medicine management issues across boundaries Influence local practice to ensure safe medication use, and to ensure that their own practice and the practice of others effectively acknowledge good prescribing practice, patient safety and risk minimisation. Act as a member of the site based senior pharmacy management team, contributing to strategy, policy development, operational delivery and financial planning. Job description Job responsibilities Lead and manage a team of pharmacy staff and be responsible for managing the delivery of safe, effective and efficient pharmacy and medicines management services to a defined group of patients and service users. Provide and support the delivery and development of pharmacy and medicines management services within the trust, including involvement in research and audit. Work closely with the other Trust specialist frailty pharmacists to develop the service across all trust sites. This will include representing the directorate at speciality meetings, providing training to pharmacy staff, providing specialist advice and expertise to all members of the directorate, the Trust and the wider health economy. Maintain and develop a portfolio of personal clinical activity within the trust at a level commensurate with a senior pharmacist. Employ models of practice that recognises the needs of patients and carers whilst maintaining practice that is embedded in the principles of risk minimisation and patient safety Supervise, support and develop other pharmacy staff, in particular junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists, and other Trust personnel as required Monitor the practice of other healthcare professionals, including medical staff, to ensure that prescribing and medicines use is safe and effective for patients. This would include the resolution of local prescribing issues and contribution to the education and training of clinical and non-clinical staff to promote safe and effective medicines use within the trust. Work closely with patients and healthcare professionals including consultant staff and Care Group leads to ensure services are developed and delivered in a manner that is consistent with the priorities and needs of patients and other service providers. Liaise with other pharmacy teams, healthcare professionals and agencies both within and external to the Trust to consider medicine management issues across boundaries Influence local practice to ensure safe medication use, and to ensure that their own practice and the practice of others effectively acknowledge good prescribing practice, patient safety and risk minimisation. Act as a member of the site based senior pharmacy management team, contributing to strategy, policy development, operational delivery and financial planning. Person Specification Special Skills & Knowledge Essential Good understanding of medicines reconciliation and how it fits into the larger function of hospital pharmacy. Ability to apply theoretical knowledge to ward/clinic based situation. Provision of complex information on medicines use, clinical pharmacy and financial issues to senior Consultants and managers. Membership of regional / national / international specialist interest groups relevant to field of practice. Demonstrable leadership, management and supervisory skills. Demonstrable teaching / tutoring skills with evidence of ability to deliver training to a wide-range of healthcare staff, e.g. pharmacy, nursing, medical. Involvement in development of evidence-based clinical guidelines and protocols. Sound knowledge of MI resources. Good understanding of current pharmacy issues. Demonstrable understanding of key drivers, financial pressures and constraints within the NHS. Desirable Ability to demonstrate an area of expertise within a field of pharmacy practice. Evidence of active contribution to relevant specialist interest groups. Record of research and/or audit and/or scholarly publications Qualifications Essential Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent. Relevant post graduate clinical qualification (to at least diploma level). Evidence of CPD and education. Qualified Pharmacist Independent Prescriber or working towards the qualification. Desirable Post graduate Masters qualification in a relevant pharmacy subject. Post graduate management qualification. Working towards a development portfolio, i.e. credentialing at advanced practice defined by the RPS. Teaching experience in clinical and classroom settings Experience Essential Experience in leading and developing highly developed near-patient clinical pharmacy services. Able to work as an autonomous practitioner in all areas of pharmacy practice. Experience of developing good relationships with other health care professionals. Experience of providing directorate pharmacist services e.g. budgetary reports, drug usage reviews, development of drug protocols, specialist drug information etc. Experience of both undertaking and supervising audit of clinical practice. Evidence of involvement in multidisciplinary service development Desirable Experience of managing a team Experience of providing basic HR support. Practice Research experience. Contribution to publications / conference presentations Statutory Registration Essential Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council Person Specification Special Skills & Knowledge Essential Good understanding of medicines reconciliation and how it fits into the larger function of hospital pharmacy. Ability to apply theoretical knowledge to ward/clinic based situation. Provision of complex information on medicines use, clinical pharmacy and financial issues to senior Consultants and managers. Membership of regional / national / international specialist interest groups relevant to field of practice. Demonstrable leadership, management and supervisory skills. Demonstrable teaching / tutoring skills with evidence of ability to deliver training to a wide-range of healthcare staff, e.g. pharmacy, nursing, medical. Involvement in development of evidence-based clinical guidelines and protocols. Sound knowledge of MI resources. Good understanding of current pharmacy issues. Demonstrable understanding of key drivers, financial pressures and constraints within the NHS. Desirable Ability to demonstrate an area of expertise within a field of pharmacy practice. Evidence of active contribution to relevant specialist interest groups. Record of research and/or audit and/or scholarly publications Qualifications Essential Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent. Relevant post graduate clinical qualification (to at least diploma level). Evidence of CPD and education. Qualified Pharmacist Independent Prescriber or working towards the qualification. Desirable Post graduate Masters qualification in a relevant pharmacy subject. Post graduate management qualification. Working towards a development portfolio, i.e. credentialing at advanced practice defined by the RPS. Teaching experience in clinical and classroom settings Experience Essential Experience in leading and developing highly developed near-patient clinical pharmacy services. Able to work as an autonomous practitioner in all areas of pharmacy practice. Experience of developing good relationships with other health care professionals. Experience of providing directorate pharmacist services e.g. budgetary reports, drug usage reviews, development of drug protocols, specialist drug information etc. Experience of both undertaking and supervising audit of clinical practice. Evidence of involvement in multidisciplinary service development Desirable Experience of managing a team Experience of providing basic HR support. Practice Research experience. Contribution to publications / conference presentations Statutory Registration Essential Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Address Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust Hollyhurst Road Darlington County Durham DL3 6HX Employer's website https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)