Senior Clinical Pharmacist Antimicrobial in North East

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Clinical Pharmacist Antimicrobial

The closing date is 05 November 2026

This is an excellent opportunity for a pharmacist with a passionfor antimicrobial stewardship to play a key role in improving patient outcomes,reducing antimicrobial resistance, and supporting the delivery of high-quality,evidence-based care across our organisation. Working closely with microbiology,infection prevention and control, pharmacy, medical and nursing colleagues, youwill contribute to the development and delivery of innovative antimicrobialstrategies and services that make a real difference to patients.

As part of our ambitious and well-established team, you will haveopportunities to influence clinical practice, support service development, leadquality improvement initiatives, and contribute to education, audit andresearch activities. We are committed to supporting professional growth andoffer a supportive environment where independent prescribing, advanced clinicalpractice and leadership skills can flourish.

The role involves working across our hospital sites and engagingwith multidisciplinary teams throughout the Trust to drive excellence inantimicrobial stewardship.

You will join a highly regarded, friendly and supportive pharmacyservice that prioritises staff wellbeing, professional development andinnovation, enabling colleagues to reach their full potential and deliveroutstanding patient care.

Main duties of the job

As a key member of the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Team,you will work closely with consultants, microbiologists, infection preventionand control teams, nurses and pharmacists to deliver the Trust's values ofsafe, compassionate and joined-up care, supporting our mission of right firsttime, every time.

You will provide expert advice on the safe, effective andevidence-based use of antimicrobials across the Trust, helping to optimisepatient outcomes and reduce antimicrobial resistance. Working across acute andcommunity services, you will support clinical decision-making, antimicrobialstewardship ward rounds, guideline development, audit, education and qualityimprovement initiatives.

A central component of the role will be active participationin specialist multidisciplinary teams, including the Clostridioides difficile(C. difficile) MDT, HIV MDT and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy(OPAT) MDT, where you will provide advanced pharmaceutical input into themanagement of complex infection cases.

You will contribute to the delivery of the Trust'santimicrobial stewardship strategy through governance, service development,sustainability initiatives and performance monitoring. The post holder willsupport the development of pharmacy staff, deliver education and training tohealthcare professionals and work collaboratively with clinical teams to embedbest practice.

About us

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

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.

Thisrole offers excellent opportunities for professional development, and you willbe expected to work autonomously, demonstrate initiative and influence change,while also being an enthusiastic team player committed to continuousimprovement and high-quality patient care.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

Job responsibilities

As a senior member of the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS)Team, you will provide specialist clinical pharmacy support for patients withinfection across County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. You willlead and participate in AMS ward rounds, working alongside microbiology,infection prevention and control, medical and nursing colleagues to optimiseantimicrobial prescribing, improve patient outcomes and reduce antimicrobialresistance.

You will provide expert pharmaceutical input into specialistmultidisciplinary team meetings, including the Clostridioides difficile(C. difficile) MDT, HIV MDT and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy(OPAT) MDT, supporting the management of complex patients and contributing toclinical decision-making across acute and community care settings.

The post holder will support the development, implementationand review of antimicrobial guidelines, policies and prescribing standards,ensuring alignment with national guidance and local priorities. You willcontribute to service development, audit, quality improvement, research andgovernance activities, helping to drive innovation and excellence inantimicrobial stewardship.

You will develop strong collaborative links with a widerange of specialties including microbiology, infection prevention and control,critical care, respiratory medicine, surgery, emergency medicine and communityservices. You will provide education and training to pharmacists, doctors,nurses and other healthcare professionals, promoting safe and effectivemedicines use throughout the Trust.

The role includes leadership and supervision of pharmacystaff, supporting the development of trainee pharmacists, junior pharmacistsand the wider multidisciplinary workforce. As part of the senior pharmacy team,you will contribute to strategic planning, operational delivery and servicetransformation.

To support the Trust's seven-day clinicalpharmacy service, all pharmacists participate in weekend, late duty and on-callrotas. Flexible working conversations are welcomed, and the Trust is committedto supporting professional development, advanced clinical practice andindependent prescribing.

Person Specification

Statutory Registration

• Registered member of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Membership of a pharmacy professional body e.g. RCP, UKCPA, BOPA, NPPG.

Experience

• Extensive experience of providing pharmacy services in a clinical setting at an advanced level.
• Regular experience of day-to-day registered pharmacy staff supervision.
• Experience of using computer software to produce reports or presentations to healthcare professionals.
• Involvement in development of clinical guidelines or protocols.
• Participation in the delivery of education and training in a clinical setting.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision to pharmacists
• Relevant experience for this role.
• Experience of supporting staff through HR processes.
• Experience of providing directorate pharmacist services eg. drug reviews, specialist drug information.
• Experience of service development, research or quality improvement.
• Experience of presenting an audit or research at a conference.
• Experience of being a Prescribing or Educational supervisor to Foundation pharmacist trainees.
• Experience of teaching healthcare professionals in a classroom setting.

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent.
• Relevant post graduate clinical qualification (to at least diploma level) or portfolio evidence of attainment to the same standard.
• Evidence of CPD.
• Pharmacist Independent Prescriber or currently working towards.
• Supervision, leadership or management training.
• Evidence of an up to date portfolio of personal professional activity.
• Additional training or qualification relevant to the post eg. PGCert

Special Skills and Knowledge

• Able to manage, monitor, advise and review medicines reconciliation for patients.
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision as an individual.
• Recognises personal limitations and refers to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary.
• Able to motivate self to achieve goals.
• Able to improve quality within limitations of service.
• Demonstrates use of appropriate communication to gain the co-operation of relevant stakeholders (including patients, senior and peer colleagues, and other professionals where possible).
• Able to plan and prioritise a pharmacy teams day-to-day clinical service which is a complex and changing environment.
• Demonstrates a good understanding of pharmacys role in governance processes.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of evidence-based medicines information resources and the ability to interpret the information.
• Demonstrates understanding of the implications of local and national priorities and pressures for the team and/or service
• Able to demonstrate an area of expertise within a field of pharmacy practice.
• Able to motivate individuals and/or the team.
• Able to successfully manage a project at team and/or service level.

Special Requirements

• Able to work with colleagues and to influence the practice and behaviours of others in a positive way.
• Motivated to develop personally and professionally through self-audit, reflection and learning.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Able to travel independently across Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post.

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.

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum, pro rata

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