Job summary
Pharmacy Quality Assurance
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday-Friday, on calls, late nights and weekends)
Job ref: 407-WCCSS-7062042
Employer: Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Walsall Manor Hospital
Town: Walsall
Salary: £53,755 - £60,504 pa
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 11/04/2025 23:59
Employer heading
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
We provide high quality, friendly and effective community health services from multiple sites covering Walsall. Our multidisciplinary services include rapid response and home-based care, so that those with long term conditions and the frail elderly can remain in their own homes.
We are recommended by colleagues as a place to work, which is supported by the Trust's values to work as part of a team, being respectful, compassionate, and professional. We are committed to investing in our workforce.
Following our recent CQC visit, the Trust was rated as outstanding for care and this has been recognized by NHS Improvement.
The work we do is highly rewarding, and in addition to an attractive salary, we offer a valuable range of benefits, including: salary sacrifice scheme; car leasing scheme; on-site staff accommodation (subject to availability); the ability to retain your NHS pension (where applicable) or the opportunity to join an alternative scheme; and the opportunity to develop and implement your expertise in an encouraging yet challenging environment.
We would particularly welcome applications from people from a Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic background and from people with a disability; these groups are currently under-represented at senior level. We value diversity within our Trust and are working to achieve equality in our recruitment.
COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues, and of course our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. While COVID-19 vaccination is not a condition of employment at this time, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is proud to be part of the Armed Forces Covenant. The Trust currently holds the Bronze Award which underlines the Trust’s commitment to supporting the Armed Forces Community.
RESPECT - COMPASSION - TEAMWORK - PROFESSIONALISM
Job overview
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Lead Quality Assurance Professional to join our Aseptic Services Team in Pharmacy. This role is critical to ensuring the delivery of high-quality pharmaceutical services, focusing on the areas of Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Control (QC), and Validation. The post is open to qualified Technicians and Pharmacists with relevant experience and offers a pathway to career progression from Band 7 to Band 8a based on demonstrated capabilities and leadership.
Main duties of the job
1. Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of Quality Management Systems (QMS) within the department, ensuring compliance with NHS and regulatory standards (e.g. GMP, GPhC).
2. Conduct audits to monitor and maintain quality standards, identifying areas for improvement and ensuring action plans are developed and implemented.
3. Oversee the QC processes within the department, ensuring that products, services, and procedures meet required specifications and standards.
4. Provide expert advice on product testing and quality analysis, reviewing QC results and ensuring corrective actions are taken when necessary.
5. Lead the validation of processes, equipment, and systems in accordance with national and local standards.
6. Develop and execute validation protocols, ensuring that all aspects of validation are documented and performed to regulatory requirements.
7. Provide leadership to the Aseptic Services Team, fostering a culture of quality and safety within the department.
8. Provide line management and support to other members of staff within the team.
Working for our organisation
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is an integrated Trust and the only provider of NHS acute care in Walsall, serving a population of 284,300, providing inpatient and outpatient services at the Manor Hospital as well as a wide range of services in the community.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. Ensure a robust change control procedure is in place and when required present any change management documentation to Pharmacy and Trust stakeholders and the Pharmacy Risk and Governance Group.
2. Responsible for the capacity planning of the Aseptics Team in which the plan is routinely reviewed with recommendations of improvement expected by the Principal Pharmacist to ensure the continued optimized operation of the Aseptic Unit.
3. To ensure all maintenance works within the Aseptic Unit are carried out in a timely manner according to the Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) schedule and liaise with the Estates Department and relevant contractors.
4. To manage and maintain service level agreements and contracts with partners, and suppliers.
5. Develop and review the Aseptic contingency plan ensuring that all areas of operation have a suitable business continuity plan inclusive but not limited to paper, digital systems and the Aseptic Unit.
6. Be responsible for frequent testing of the Aseptic contingency plan ensuring all areas remain fit for purpose.
Person specification
Skills
Essential criteria
1. Able to demonstrate a very high level of specialist knowledge.
2. Demonstrates skills for problem identification and solving.
3. Delivered Lectures, talks, training (Medical/ Nursing/ Pharmacy staff and patients).
Desirable criteria
1. Self-motivating with a positive “can do”, enthusiastic approach to work and able to motivate a Pharmacy Team.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
1. Able to demonstrate a very high level of specialist knowledge.
2. Demonstrates skills for problem identification and solving.
3. Delivered Lectures, talks, training (Medical/ Nursing/ Pharmacy staff and patients).
Experience
Essential criteria
1. Significant experience in Quality Assurance/Quality Control in a pharmaceutical or healthcare setting.
2. Experience in validation processes and an in-depth understanding of regulatory requirements (e.g., GMP and QAAPS).
3. Leadership experience within a QA/QC environment.
Desirable criteria
1. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks and implement corrective actions.
2. Able to transfer national guidelines into Trust policies, procedures, and guidelines.
3. Assertiveness skills – able to negotiate to a satisfactory outcome with professional colleagues at all levels.
Please note your application will be transferred from the NHS Jobs system to internal Walsall Healthcare Trac System. All correspondence will be sent via Trac.
Following our recent CQC visit, the Trust was rated as outstanding for care and this has been recognized by NHS Improvement.
** Please Note that this post may be identified as suitable and a preference given for Internal at Risk Employees**
We would particularly welcome applications from people from a Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic background and from people with a disability; these groups are currently under-represented at senior level. We value diversity within our Trust and are working to achieve equality in our recruitment.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON COMPLETION OF REFERENCE SECTION OF APPLICATION FORM
References from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. When completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number, and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover this period. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
Please review the attached Job description and person specification carefully before applying to ensure that you meet the essential job requirements. Candidates should be aware that, regardless of country of origin, their ability to communicate in written and spoken English to the standard required to carry out the post, will be assessed during the selection process. Referee email addresses should be provided on your application form. Following the closing date, if you have not heard from us within 6 weeks you may assume your application has been unsuccessful. We reserve the right to close this job early. Interested applicants are therefore advised to apply as early as possible. If a large number of applicants meet the essential criteria then random selection will be applied. We are committed to operating flexible working practices wherever possible and committed to equal opportunities.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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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