Chief Pharmacist

We are looking for an experienced and visionary Chief Pharmacist to lead pharmacy services, medicines optimisation, and medicines governance across West London NHS Trust.

This senior leadership role offers the opportunity to shape strategic direction, champion high-quality patient care, and support the continued development of services across a diverse organisation delivering mental health, community, and specialist care.

Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer, you will lead a team of around 100 pharmacy staff, drive strategic developments across the Trust and wider health system, and act as the Trust's Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer.

This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished pharmacy leader to have a significant impact on service quality, workforce development, and the future delivery of pharmacy services.

Main duties of the job

As Chief Pharmacist, you will provide strategic and professional leadership for all pharmacy services across the Trust. You will be accountable for medicines optimisation, medicines governance, controlled drugs management, financial and workforce leadership, and compliance with relevant legislation and national standards.

Working closely with executive colleagues, Integrated Care Board partners, and external stakeholders, you will lead service improvement, quality improvement, and research initiatives, ensure the safe and effective use of medicines, manage significant budgets and resources, and contribute to the development of pharmacy services.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• 4-year vocational Masters Degree in Pharmacy + pre-registration training
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Postgraduate qualification relevant to hospital pharmacy clinical practice
• Management qualification relevant to the NHS or equivalent experience
• Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development

Experience

• Considerable post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy or equivalent relevant area of practice
• Significant experience as a Chief Pharmacist or equivalent
• Management of risk with respect to the clinical use of medicines
• Record of achieving results against set targets
• Experience in budget setting and management
• Business planning with project and financial management
• Experience of managing teams
• Experience of working with other senior healthcare professionals outside of pharmacy to achieve trust-wide initiatives
• Experience of working across organisations and systems
• Experience of disciplinary and other HR matters and be able to impart results from them to staff in an appropriate and considered manner

Knowledge

• Knowledge of all regulations and legislation relevant to pharmacy and medicines optimisation
• Knowledge of the requirements of national organisations involved with pharmacy and medicines optimisation
• Extensive knowledge of financial reporting, analysis, and budgetary management