Chief Pharmacist LGT

Step into a place where exceptional care, patients, culture, and careers come together.

Explore our current vacancies and take your first step toward making a real difference.

Join us. Make a difference. Be part of Team LGT.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, (LGT), is a community-focused provider of local and acute care, delivering high-quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley. We provide whole-life care and are here to support our communities to live healthier lives as well as taking care of them when they need us the most.

Employing almost 7,500 colleagues, affectionately known as Team LGT, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham, and at over a dozen community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup.

We have recently launched our new vision and values to mark the LGT10 – the tenth anniversary of our Trust forming in 2013. Our trust vision is to be exceptional. In the quality of our patient care; our support for colleagues; and in the difference we make through our partnerships and in our communities.

Our hospitals and community sites provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as emergency and planned care. The Trust is rated as “good” or “outstanding” in over three-quarters of the services inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

Every year our work includes performing 10,000 procedures in our theatres; bringing seven and a half thousand new lives into the world; carrying out 570,000 visits to patients in their homes or communities and providing emergency care for more than 300,000 patients arriving in our busy Urgent and Emergency Departments.

LGT is a centre for the education and training of medical students enrolled with King’s College London’s GKT School of Medical Education. We are a training centre for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. We are pioneering new roles that will support the changing needs of our patients and are one of the largest employers of physician associates in the country.

We are committed to working with our partners to deliver the best outcomes for our local communities. This means playing an active role in the South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), and in formal partnerships including the South East London Acute Provider Collaborative, provider partnerships with our local mental health trusts and borough-based boards of the IC S in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham.

Job overview

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is seeking an exceptional and forward-thinking pharmacy leader to join our leadership team as Chief Pharmacist . As the Trust's senior professional lead for pharmacy and medicines management, you will be responsible for ensuring the safe, effective and financially sustainable use of medicines across inpatient, outpatient and community services. You will provide strategic leadership for medicines safety, clinical governance, workforce development, service transformation and medicines optimisation, while acting as the Trust's principal adviser on pharmaceutical matters. This influential leadership role offers the opportunity to shape services across the organisation and wider health system, delivering improvements in patient outcomes, operational performance and financial sustainability while ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety and regulatory compliance.

Main duties of the job

• Provide strategic and professional leadership for all pharmacy and medicines management services across the Trust.
• Lead on medicines safety, clinical governance and regulatory compliance, ensuring the safe and effective use of medicines.
• Act as the Trust's principal adviser on pharmaceutical matters, providing expert guidance to the Board, Executive Team and clinical services.
• Develop and deliver the Pharmacy Strategy, supporting the Trust's operational, quality and performance objectives.
• Lead the Trust's medicines optimisation, efficiency and cost improvement programmes, ensuring effective stewardship of medicines expenditure.
• Provide leadership and oversight of the pharmacy workforce, including workforce planning, recruitment, development and succession planning.
• Drive innovation, service transformation and continuous improvement to enhance patient outcomes and service delivery.
• Build strong partnerships across the Trust, Integrated Care System and wider healthcare sector, representing the organisation at local, regional and national forums.
• Lead research, education and professional development initiatives, promoting excellence in pharmacy practice and medicines management.
• Contribute as a senior leader within the Trust, supporting organisational strategy, performance, quality improvement and financial sustainability.

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

• Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
• Improving the experience of staff with disability
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
• Making equalities mainstream

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose

The Chief Pharmacist and Clinical Director for Pharmacy provides strategic, professional, clinical and operational leadership for Pharmacy and Medicines Management services across the Trust. The postholder is accountable for ensuring the safe, effective and cost-efficient use of medicines across inpatient, outpatient and community services, while contributing to organisational performance, patient safety, quality improvement and financial sustainability.

As the Trust's senior pharmaceutical adviser, the postholder provides expert advice to the Chief Executive, Executive Directors, Clinical Directors and senior managers on all aspects of pharmacy, medicines optimisation, legislation and governance. The role leads a multidisciplinary pharmacy workforce, drives service transformation and innovation, and ensures compliance with all relevant professional, statutory and regulatory standards.

The postholder is responsible for the Pharmacy budget and has strategic oversight of Trust-wide medicines expenditure. They will lead medicines efficiency programmes, contribute to cost improvement initiatives, support research and education, and represent the Trust within local, regional and national professional networks.

Main Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and delivery of the Pharmacy and Medicines Management Strategy and annual business plan.
• Ensure pharmacy services support Trust objectives, operational priorities and patient care standards.
• Provide professional leadership and strategic direction for all pharmacy and medicines management activities.
• Advise executive leaders on pharmaceutical policy, medicines governance and service development.
• Contribute to Trust-wide strategy, transformation and service redesign as a Clinical Director and senior divisional leader.
• Represent the Trust in local, regional and national pharmacy and healthcare forums.

Service Delivery and Performance

• Ensure safe, timely, effective and patient-centred pharmacy services across all care settings.
• Monitor service quality, productivity and performance against agreed objectives.
• Lead service improvement and transformation programmes that enhance quality, efficiency and patient experience.
• Ensure business continuity and operational resilience for critical pharmacy services.
• Regularly review service effectiveness and implement improvements where required.

Clinical Governance and Medicines Safety

• Lead the safe, appropriate and cost-effective use of medicines across the Trust.
• Ensure compliance with the Medicines Act, Misuse of Drugs legislation, Human Medicines Regulations and professional standards.
• Lead implementation of medicines safety initiatives arising from MHRA, NICE and other national guidance.
• Investigate, respond to and learn from incidents, complaints, audits and safety concerns.
• Maintain effective governance, risk management and assurance arrangements for medicines management.
• Provide expert pharmaceutical advice to Trust committees, project groups and clinical teams.
• Act as a key member of the Medicines Management Committee and support delivery of its objectives.

Clinical and Professional Practice

• Act as a role model for advanced clinical pharmacy practice.
• Provide specialist pharmaceutical advice for patients with complex clinical needs.
• Support multidisciplinary decision‑making relating to medicines and therapeutics.
• Maintain clinical credibility through direct engagement with clinical teams and patient care when required.
• Promote evidence-based practice and medicines optimisation across the organisation.
• Lead and manage the Pharmacy workforce, ensuring appropriate staffing, skill mix and deployment.
• Develop workforce plans that support service delivery, transformation and succession planning.
• Oversee recruitment, retention, supervision, appraisal and professional development.
• Ensure all staff receive appropriate education, training, competency assessment and performance review.
• Promote staff wellbeing, engagement, inclusion and continuous improvement.
• Manage workforce issues in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
• Manage Pharmacy pay and non‑pay budgets within approved financial limits.
• Maintain oversight of Trust medicines expenditure and prescribing costs.
• Lead medicines efficiency, productivity and cost improvement programmes.
• Develop and implement effective procurement, stock control and supply chain arrangements.
• Identify financial risks and opportunities and provide expert advice to support decision‑making.
• Ensure compliance with Standing Financial Instructions and delegated financial authority.

Research, Education and Innovation

• Promote a culture of research, innovation and continuous learning within Pharmacy.
• Lead and support pharmacy practice research and service evaluation.
• Encourage publication and dissemination of research and improvement work.
• Provide education and training for pharmacy, nursing and medical staff.
• Support undergraduate and postgraduate professional development programmes.
• Contribute to regional and national pharmacy education and leadership initiatives.

Partnership and System Working

• Work collaboratively with patients, clinical services, commissioners and system partners.
• Develop integrated pharmacy and medicines optimisation services across organisational boundaries.
• Support medicines‑related improvements within South East London and wider NHS partnerships.
• Build productive relationships with NHS England, Integrated Care Boards, universities and professional bodies.
• Work with commercial partners to support delivery of high‑quality pharmacy services.

Communication and Stakeholder Management

• Develop effective relationships with Executive Directors, Divisional leaders and clinical teams.
• Communicate complex clinical, operational and financial information to a range of audiences.
• Present reports, recommendations and assurance information to senior committees and boards.
• Influence decision‑making and secure support for service improvement and transformation initiatives.

General Responsibilities

• Participate in relevant Trust, regional and national committees and professional groups.
• Maintain professional registration and continuing professional development.
• Ensure compliance with all governance, regulatory and professional requirements.
• Support emergency preparedness, resilience and business continuity arrangements.
• Undertake any other duties consistent with the seniority and scope of the role.

Overall Accountability

The postholder is accountable for the strategic leadership, governance, workforce, financial management and continuous development of Pharmacy and Medicines Management services, ensuring the Trust delivers safe, effective, innovative and financially sustainable pharmaceutical care for patients across all service settings.

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

• B. Pharm / M. Pharm / BSc (Pharmacy)
• Registration as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Higher degree or Postgraduate Diploma in either Clinical Pharmacy or General Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent)
• Membership of the Royal College of Pharmacy
• MSc

Experience

• Substantial post‑registration experience in hospital pharmacy including relevant experience at senior management/immediate sub‑board level.
• Recent practice (within last 5 years) in a leadership role managing a pharmacy team as a chief or deputy chief pharmacist level
• Demonstrable experience in clinical pharmacy practice covering a broad range of specialities.
• Experience of operational and staff management in the NHS within Pharmacy Services
• Supervision and training of others.
• Examples of development and implementation of evidence-based guidelines.
• Examples of Clinical Audit and Literature Evaluations and how they have been use to improve or influence practice.
• Recent experience in leading transformational quality improvement project work
• Experience of working with executive teams and giving assurance on divisional services
• Experience working as a band 8d pharmacist (or equivalent)

Knowledge and Skills

• Management of budgets (>£5m)
• Business planning
• Clear understanding of pharmacy developments
• Ability to exercise discretion within wide parameters in researching/seeking support for plans to deliver agreed objectives
• Highly developed negotiating/influencing skills based on a thorough understanding of the relationships between clinical and management functions
• Knowledge of national NHS policy relating to pharmacy
• Able to demonstrate partnership working within and external to the Trust
• Practice research skills in clinical areas

Personal Qualities

• Proven leadership skills
• Professional role model
• Flexible approach to work
• Committed to own continuing professional development and maintaining a CPD portfolio.
• Demonstrable willingness to learn and develop new skills
• Reliable, polite and approachable
• Ability to cope with challenges and change
• Knows own professional and personal limitations and seeks advice where necessary
• Ability to show kindness and compassion and work in line with the Trust values

As a local employer and anchor institution we work closely with our community to recruit locally and we welcome applications from the widest variety of people to ensure our workforce are reflective of the local communities which we serve. We encourage all suitable candidates to apply including if you are Black, Asian or other ethnic minorities, live with a disability (visible or not) or are LGBT+. We have a number of active staff networks including Disability, LGBT+, Multicultural Inclusion and Women’s staff networks to bring staff together and celebrate diversity across our whole workforce.

Please note: Information provided during recruitment and pre‑employment checks must be accurate. Misrepresentation may be investigated as fraud and could lead to withdrawal from the process, professional sanctions, or criminal action.

Please note: that sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route is subject to Trust allocation and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approval.

Use of AI in recruitment: We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the initial review of applications against the essential criteria for this role. Where AI is used, it will support rather than replace human decision-making, and applications will remain subject to appropriate human review.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Name Karl Jewell Job title Director of Operations Allied Clinical Services Email address karl.jewell@nhs.net Telephone number 07443 747895

#J-18808-Ljbffr