Clinical Effectiveness & Clinical Economy Pharmacist
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Main area Medicine Effectiveness Team (Pharmacy) Grade NHS AfC: Band 8a Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 321-CSS-8344089-B8a
Site John Radcliff Hospital Town Oxford Salary Dependant on experience Closing 05/11/2026 08:00
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises of four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
Many of our recruitment programmes useValue Based Interviewingto identify those who have the skills we seek, who share our values and who are able to deliver compassionate excellence from the outset. We know that this makes a significant difference to your job satisfaction and above all the outcomes and experience of our patients and their families. For more information about our Values and Value Based Interviewing please visit www.ouh.nhs.uk/about/vision-and-values
Job overview
- To facilitate and promote safe, effective and efficient use of medicines within the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUHFT).
- To promote the economic use of medicines within the OUH NHS Foundation Trust by actively participating in the Trust's "Cost-Effective Use of Medicines" Project
- To promote and ensure the economic use of medicines whilst actively contributing to the activities of the pharmacy department to ensure high standards of quality of pharmaceutical care for patients.
- To deputise for the Medicines Effectiveness Lead Pharmacist as appropriate.
Main duties of the job
To be the pharmacy lead in promoting cost-effective, evidence-based and safe prescribing of medicines within the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
To manage the Trust Medicines Management and Therapeutics Committee as well as communication and day-to-day implementation of its decisions. This includes triage of one-off non-formulary requests for the MMTC chair.
To work with neighbouring NHS and other organisations (including the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Area Prescribing Committee) to ensure consistency of prescribing guidance.
Working for our organisation
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel .
In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles
Oxford University Hospital's promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.
If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical Effectiveness (Formulary)
The formulary is managed by the Medicines Management & Therapeutics Committee (MMTC) on behalf of the Clinical Governance Committee (CGC). The formulary limits the range of medicines that may be prescribed in the trust to those that are established as gold-standard in their class and/or best value for money. The MMTC meets monthly to consider and evaluate applications for new medicines and decides whether to include, restrict or exclude new medicines from the formulary. The committee also produces and circulates Medicines Information Leaflets (MILs), which provide guidelines for the prescribing and use of medicines across a broad range of indications. The post holder will provide professional support to the MMTC:
- To support the Medicines Effectiveness Pharmacist in developing and managing the OUHFT Formulary by:
- Drawing up the agenda for the MMTC meetings.
- Creating and providing evidence-based reviews of new medical technologies to inform decisions.
- Carrying out preliminary evaluations of applications and meeting with applicant for clarification if appropriate.
- Disseminating, publicising and implementing the committees decisions
- To contribute actively to the OUHFT MMTC,
- To keep abreast of current information on newly launched medicines and those in development.
- To contribute to the writing and dissemination of Medicines Information Leaflets and other information to promote quality and cost-effective prescribing in the Trust.
- To liaise with Specialist pharmacists on Formulary issues and MMTC applications
- To be actively involved in the implementation of Formulary decisions.
- To be involved in and/or supervise audit of current practice against nationally recognised standards.
- To authorise supply of non-formulary medicines in accordance with the Trusts Medicines Policy.
- To participate actively in the Trusts Cost Effective Use of Medicines (CEUM) project and other initiatives to manage expenditure on medicines within the local health economy.
- To support the Medicines Effectiveness Pharmacist in implementing the Trust Policy on the use of unlicensed Medicines.
- To deputise for the Medicines Effectiveness Pharmacists on committee meetings within and outside the ORH Trust; for example the Area Prescribing Committee of Oxfordshire
Clinical Economy (Cost Effective Use of Medicines)
The Cost Effective Use of Medicines Project is a Cost Improvement and Transformation project that is steered by the Cost Improvement and Transformation Steering Group. The objective of this project is to reduce the Trusts drugs expenditure by implementing a number of schemes, such as therapeutic substitution and reduction of waste from repeat prescribing. The job holder will play an active role in the day to day implementation of this project by carrying out the following:
- To support the Medicines Effectiveness Team in the day to day implementation of this project by:
- Supporting the Medicines Effectiveness Pharmacists in identifying and implementing opportunities for cost reduction by therapeutic substitution.
- Supporting wards, clinics and theatres to ensure safe and effective switches as agreed by the directorate and by the drug cost savings group.
- To participate actively in the Trusts Drugs Cost Savings Project and other initiatives to manage expenditure on medicines within the local health economy.
- To support pharmacy divisional team leads, directorate pharmacists and other directorate staff in implementing drug cost savings initiatives at the directorate level.
- To contribute actively to the drug cost savings project group meetings and be actively involved in implementing its initiatives
- To contribute to writing, disseminating and publicising of Medicines Information Leaflets and other information to promote good quality and cost-effective prescribing.
- To analyse data on drug expenditure to identify opportunities for drugs savings
- To create and present reports on drugs expenditure and drug cost savings.
- To be actively involved in the implementation of the Trust Formulary.
- To support the Medicines Effectiveness Pharmacist in implementing the Trust Policy on the cost-effective use of unlicensed Medicines.
- To deputise for the Medicines Effectiveness Pharmacists as appropriate on committee meetings within the ORH Trust for discussions and decisions that affect the cost-effective use of medicines.
Person specification
Qualities
- Qualified to masters degree level (4 year MPharm) or equivalent
- Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience
- Experience of working as a clinical pharmacist at a high level in a variety of clinical areas
- Experience of working as a clinical pharmacist in relevant clinical area
- Accredited tutor for Cardiff University Clinical Pharmacy Diploma (or meets criteria to become accredited if an accredited tutor for another diploma).
- Problem identification and solving skills with an ability to prioritise effectively
- Ability to make decisions
- Well organised
- Good written and oral communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills including being assertive
- Professional and personal integrity
- Membership of regional/national/international specialist interest group
- Contributing to publications / conference presentations at least at a regional level.
- Evidence of contribution to regional specialist interest groups
- Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
- Demonstrable awareness of key drivers for the NHS
- Demonstrable awareness of financial pressures/constraints within the NHS
- Experience of developing drug protocols / contributing to formulary development
- Experience of preparing budgetary reports for clinical areas
- Involvement in developing a service within pharmacy
- Experience of under-taking and supervising audits or drug use evaluations
- Ability to work in a team as well as autonomously and can delegate authority appropriately
- Must demonstrate flexibility in working practices
- Experience of teaching and tutoring
- Enthusiastic and self-motivated
- Capable of working under pressure
- Must show commitment
- Experience of under-taking practice research
- Involvement of developing a multidisciplinary service
- Accredited Non-medical prescriber
- Evidence of contribution to national/international specialist interest groups
- Contributing to publications / conference presentations at national/international level
- Experience in creating evidence-based reviews on medicines
- Good Information Technology skills (Microsoft Word and Excel)
- Experience of developing drug protocols / contributing to formulary development
- Demonstrable awareness of financial pressures
- Involvement in a pharmacist led outpatient clinic
- MSc in Clinical pharmacy
- Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Sexual Safety Charter : In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit tothe ten core principles
Oxford University Hospital's promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.
If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.
Vacancy Closures: Please note, this vacancy may close early if a high volume of applications are received.
Visa and Immigration: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is able to offer Certificates of Sponsorship for all eligible roles for a Skilled Worker Visa without exception, provided the role meets the minimum salary and skill level criteria set by the Home Office (UKVI). All eligible candidates will be considered with equal consideration at all stages of the application and recruitment process. Skilled worker: Health and Care Visa | NHS Employers / Work in the UK - GOV.UK
COVID-19: The 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. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated there is helpful advice and information at Oxfordshire County Council Website where you can also find out more about how to access vaccination.
Probation Period: This post is subject to a 6 month probationary period. If you currently hold a contract of employment with the Oxford University Hospitals, this will not apply. This statement does not apply to Medical staff or Executive Appointments.
Referencing: When providing employment reference details please provide correct work related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your first referee will need to be your line manager, supervisor or clinical lead from your current or most recent post or place of study. Please note that if you have previously worked for the Trust we will require a reference from your last
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Clinical Effectiveness & Clinical Economy Pharmacist in Oxford employer: OUH
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and collaborative work environment that prioritises compassionate care and professional development. With a commitment to delivering excellence in healthcare, employees benefit from extensive training opportunities, a focus on teamwork, and the chance to make a meaningful impact in the lives of patients within a prestigious teaching trust located in the vibrant city of Oxford.
