Lead Practice Pharmacist in Nottingham

The Lead Practice Pharmacist will provide senior clinical and operational leadership across Chilwell Valley & Meadows Practice. This role ensures safe, effective, and high-quality medicines optimisation, oversees the internal pharmacy workforce, and coordinates the activity of PCN pharmacists when they are delivering work for the practice.

The post holder will:

• Lead and supervise the practices internal pharmacy team.
• Provide clinical oversight, direction, and workload prioritisation to PCN pharmacists working within CVAMP.
• Drive QOF prescribing performance, LTC optimisation, and medicines safety throughout the practice.
• Oversee medicines governance, shared care monitoring, high-risk drugs, and prescribing audits.
• Support the practice in achieving CQC and contractual standards related to medicines.

Main duties of the job:

• Oversight of PCN Pharmacists (Within CVAMP Only)
• QOF, LTC Management & Practice Performance
• Medicines Safety & Governance
• Education, Training, Research & Development

About us:

We are one practice on two similar sized privately-owned, purpose-built properties. Rated Outstanding by CQC. High QOF and Enhanced Services achievement. Well established undergraduate and postgraduate teaching on both sites. Award winning East Midlands Clinical Research Network Research Site Initiative (RSI) Level Four practice, among highest recruiters to studies in the UK with a strong focus on commercial as well as academic research. 7 Partners across the two sites. GMS total 16,000 patients across both sites. Full complement of staff including, PCN pharmacists and PCN pharmacy technician. First contact physiotherapist and research and systems manager and dedicated research nurse. We value holistic high-quality care for our patients and support for one another. Excellent relationships with Nottingham West Primary Care Network.

Job responsibilities:

• Line-manage all practice-employed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, including appraisals, PDPs, competency frameworks, and supervision.
• Lead induction and orientation for new pharmacy staff.
• Support with induction for new GPs and GP registrars.
• Oversee rota planning, capacity, safe staffing, and allocation of work.
• Support recruitment, workforce planning, and development of the pharmacy service.
• Provide daily direction, clinical supervision, and prioritisation of PCN pharmacist activity while on-site.
• Ensure their work aligns with practice priorities such as QOF, LTC reviews, medication reconciliation, shared care, and high-risk drugs.
• Offer feedback, escalation, and clinical guidance to maintain safety and consistency.
• Liaise with the PCN pharmacy lead as required, ensuring smooth coordination.
• Conduct advanced medication reviews for frailty, polypharmacy, long-term conditions, and complex patients.
• Lead medication reconciliation from hospital letters and discharges.
• Oversee shared care and monitoring of high-risk medications (DOACs, DMARDs, lithium, amiodarone, etc.).
• Initiate patients on DOACs.
• Ensure safe policies and practices of warfarin management and carry out necessary audits for enhanced payment schemes.
• Support safe repeat prescribing, reviewing monitoring parameters and medication appropriateness.
• Lead on deprescribing initiatives (opioids, gabapentinoids, benzodiazepines, high anticholinergic burden).
• Provide clinical advice to GPs, nurses, ANPs, paramedics, and administrative staff.
• Ensure all new patients have medication reviews, recalls added, and repeat prescriptions set up appropriately.
• Reconcile medications and handle hospital tasks and requests on selected clinic and discharge letters.
• Carry out medication reviews on complex or frail patients via telephone or face-to-face.
• Deal with on-the-day pharmacy and patient queries from reception and clinicians.
• Deprescribe high-risk or addictive medicines appropriately with support from the prescribing lead.
• Monitor patients discharged from hospital on opioids.
• Lead medicines-related QOF domains including AF anticoagulation, diabetes optimisation, hypertension, CKD, asthma/SABA overuse, frailty medication reviews.
• Support the practice in achieving LES/DES prescribing requirements.
• Identify at-risk cohorts using data tools and undertake targeted reviews.
• Undertake and present regular audits to improve prescribing quality and safety.
• Support with sourcing suitable audit projects for GP Registrars and Medical students.
• Lead on MHRA, ICB and national medication safety alerts, ensuring timely implementation.
• Investigate medication-related significant events and ensure learning is disseminated.
• Maintain and update medicines-related SOPs and protocols.
• Support CQC compliance by ensuring safe, monitored and well-governed prescribing systems.
• Contribute to learning from significant events related to medicines.
• Audit areas of potential concern and lead improvements.
• Keep the practice updated on safety and prescribing issues, including presentation at monthly management meetings.
• Provide teaching to GPs, GP registrars, students, nurses, and prescribers.
• Mentor and support pharmacists (practice and PCN) with professional development and prescribing competence.
• Promote a culture of learning, quality improvement and reflective practice.
• Ensure all nurse prescribers have annual prescribing audits.
• Contribute to and participate in research studies within the practice.

Person Specification:

• GPhC registered Pharmacist.
• Significant primary care clinical pharmacy experience.
• Demonstrated leadership or supervisory experience.
• Expertise in medication reviews and LTC management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to analyse data, perform audits, and drive improvement.
• Evidence of ongoing CPD.
• Postgraduate Clinical Diploma or equivalent.
• Experience coordinating or supervising PCN pharmacists.
• Strong understanding of QOF, IIF/PCN DES requirements.
• Experience with SystmOne.
• Involvement in CQC inspections or governance.
• Teaching or mentorship qualifications.

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.