Lead Pharmacist - Mental Health Older Peoples Care Unit NHS AfC: Band 8a Speciality: Pharmacy S[...] in Nottingham

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Main area: Pharmacy

Grade: NHS AfC: Band 8a

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Job ref: 186-049-26-CSSite

Location: Highbury Hospital, Nottingham

Salary: £55,690 - £62,682 per annum (pro rata for part time)

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 04/02/2026 23:59

The Lead Pharmacist for the Older Peoples Care Unit will work with the Head of Pharmacy – Mental Health Services to deliver a high-quality clinical pharmacy service across inpatient and community older adults’ mental health services. The role includes providing expert clinical pharmacy input, undertaking independent prescribing within an agreed scope of practice, contributing to medicines optimisation strategy, and supporting training for pharmacists, trainees, and wider multidisciplinary teams.

The post holder will develop and maintain a safe, effective, and cost-efficient pharmacy service, support education for undergraduates and junior staff, and contribute to clinical governance, audit, research, and service development. The role is primarily based at Blossomwood Hospital and Highbury Hospital, with some work in community teams across Nottinghamshire.

Main duties of the job:

• Lead clinical pharmacy services for older adult mental health inpatient and community teams, providing medicines reconciliation, medication reviews, and person-centred treatment plans.
• As an independent prescriber, optimise therapeutic outcomes, support safe prescribing, and deliver clear, evidence-based medicines advice.
• Contribute to audits, research, and service improvement, supporting the development of clinical guidelines and medicines optimisation strategies across the Trust.
• Train pharmacists, technicians, trainees, and wider clinical teams, mentor postgraduate learners, support undergraduate teaching, and contribute to competency assessments.
• Line-manage a small clinical pharmacy team and work collaboratively within MDTs, case reviews, and clinical forums to ensure pharmacy expertise informs care.
• Support dispensary services, validate prescriptions, maintain accurate documentation, and ensure compliance with governance, legal, and professional standards.
• Participate in weekend, late-duty, and on-call rotas and may involve deputising for the Head of Pharmacy – Mental Health Services.

All duties must reflect Trust values and meet safeguarding, infection control, equality, and data quality requirements.

Working for our organisation:

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

• Undertake the duties of Independent Prescribing in the Older Peoples Care Unit of the Mental Health Care Group, in line with an agreed scope of practice.
• Ensure the provision of clinical pharmacy services and identify, develop, and implement practice research, audit, and other projects to ensure that departmental cost improvement and quality targets are met.
• Participate in the provision of the clinical pharmacy service to Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust wards and community-based mental health services.
• Facilitate the provision of high-quality and cost-effective pharmaceutical care to patients and other service users.
• Participate in the development and implementation of new ways of working and extended roles for pharmacists and pharmacy staff.
• Develop and participate in a programme of “in-house” training for pharmacists, foundation trainee pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and assistants.
• Support the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy Leadership Team in the development and delivery of education sessions and experiences to pharmacy undergraduates.
• Act as a line manager for a small number of pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians working in Older Peoples Care Unit.
• Provide counselling sessions for service users and carers on medication.
• Provide specialist medicines information and advice to all healthcare staff, service users, and carers.
• Establish and develop strong and effective links with all staff within the Trust and system.
• Ensure that agreed local and national guidelines, policies, and protocols are implemented at service level via the clinical pharmacy team.
• Liaise with individual consultants regarding drug-prescribing issues within their specialty.
• Prepare submissions for the medication management committees when required.
• Provide professional support to the dispensary on a rota basis.
• Prioritise workload and meet deadlines, particularly when under pressure.
• Ensure that pharmaceutical work conforms to legal and professional requirements.
• Undertake all scheduled mandatory training required for the role.
• Act as a role model for all pharmacy staff practicing within the Trust.
• Effectively supervise and direct the work of appropriate staff where necessary.
• Participate in late duty, weekend, and Bank Holiday working in accordance with departmental rotas.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

Person specification:

• Qualifications: Member of the General Pharmaceutical Council, Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy or Clinical Diploma, Current membership of Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Current membership of College of Mental Health Pharmacy.
• Experience: Clinical knowledge from degree and aspects of career to date, Experience of new ways of working and extended pharmacy roles, Experience of working with Mental Health Older Peoples Services, Project work, Evidence-based medicine practice.
• Knowledge: Clinical Pharmacy knowledge associated with a Pharmacy degree course and vocational experience, Awareness of NHS changes and understanding of mental health pharmacy issues within the NHS.
• Skills: Organisational/time management skills, Excellent communication skills, Tested problem-solving and decision-making skills, Ability to work as a team player, Adaptable and flexible, Work well under pressure and prioritise effectively, Self-motivated and conscientious, Accuracy and attention to detail, Negotiation and influencing skills.

We reserve the right to close the post early once we have received a sufficient number of applicants. The Trust believes in treating everyone with dignity and respect and encourages applications from all sectors of the community. We guarantee an interview to candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum essential criteria.