Flexible Location
In June 2025, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care introduced two key frameworks: the Population Health Framework and the Service Renewal Framework (SRF). The SRF sets out an ambitious vision to drive innovation and enable more integrated delivery across Scotlands health and care services. As part of this transformation, NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) will come together to form a new organisation: Public Services Delivery Scotland in April 2026. The new organisation will play a pivotal role in supporting the renewal and long-term sustainability of health and care services across Scotland.
To learn more about the new organisation, please read the public consultation paper, NHS Delivery
Flexible Location: NES is a remote-friendly employer with staff based throughout Scotland. We support office-based and hybrid working arrangements. We welcome conversations about alternative working patternsplease get in touch during the application process to discuss.
Work Pattern: Fixed Term,Part Time, 14.8 before 1 April 2026 / after 1 April 2026 14.4 hours per week
Fixed-term or Secondment** 0.4 WTE maternity leave cover until May 2027in the NES Pharmacy Foundation Training Year (FTY) workstream and
0.4 WTE until 31 March 2027 in the NES PharmacyPost-Registration Foundation Programme workstream
2x Positions - 1x Practice Educator (FTY) & 1x Practice Educator PRFP - Please note on your application what post you would like to apply for.
**For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non-NHS applicants, a fixed-term or secondment would be considered.
You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment.
Who We Are
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.
The Pharmacy team within NES is responsible through the Executive Medical Director to the NES Board and through the Board to Scottish Government for the commissioning and delivery of postgraduate pharmacy education in Scotland.
The Opportunity
We have two opportunities for pharmacists interested in education and training to join the NES Pharmacy team as Practice Educators, on a fixed term or secondment basis. The roles will work collaboratively across NES and the NHS Scotland pharmacy service, bringing pharmacy education and training expertise to the national context, promoting, and supporting educational developments across the career pathways.
PracticeEducators in the NES Pharmacy team provide supportforthe development of key education solutions as well as support for educational supervisors and learners. These roles provide a real opportunity to contribute to a critical stage of pharmacy education support. They provide an excellent opportunity for a pharmacist with an interest in educational initiatives to expand their career experience.
Candidates would be welcome to apply for one or both posts. Please specify in your application and confirm at interview which role you are applying for. More information about the individual roles is provided below.
Practice educator for NES Pharmacy Foundation Training Year (FTY)
This opportunity is a fixed term maternity leave cover until May 2027 with the NES Pharmacy Foundation Training Year (FTY) team. This is an exciting opportunity to join the team responsible for the quality assurance, development and delivery of the Foundation Training Year (FTY) programme for trainee pharmacists undertaking their final year of training prior to registration as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The FTY Practice Educator role is a varied role which supports all aspects of the organisation and delivery of the FTY, Some of the key tasks undertaken by the practice educator include: training site approval for sites across Scotland delivering FTY, supporting development of FTY supervisors through involvement in FTY supervisor training and provision of ongoing support, delivery and development of the FTY core curriculum and supporting development and progression of trainee pharmacists, through provision of resources, drop in sessions and one to one support for trainee pharmacists where required. This all supports delivery of the GPhC accredited FTY programme, in line with the 2021 GPhC Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists.
This post will mainly involve remote working. The base office will be Forrest Grove House (FGH), Aberdeen. Attendance at Forrest Grove House will be required approximately 6 times across the training year, to support face to face delivery of training days for trainee pharmacists based in the North region. There may also be an infrequent request for travel to other NES offices as required/ This reflects our need to deliver regional, in-person training sessions in addition to online training sessions throughout the Foundation Training Year. Occasional cross-cover across pharmacy teams may be required as part of the role.
Practice Educator for NES pharmacy Post-Registration Foundation Programme
This opportunity is a fixed term contract until 31 March 2027 with the Post-Registration Foundation Programme team. This is an exciting opportunity to join the team responsible for supporting educational supervisors and foundation pharmacists as learners complete the Post-Registration Foundation programme in Scotland which follows the UK wide Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) curriculum.
You will be responsible for supporting Senior Educators and the Principal Lead in the development and implementation of the overarching delivery of the programme. Specific delivery of peer sessions to pharmacists through participation in national educational sessions, the delivery of national peer sessions and the quality management of progress of those in training as well as providing additional support when required are key to this role. Occasional cross-cover across pharmacy teams may be required as part of the role. Travel will be required as part of this role.
As the posts will be after the 1 April 2026, the hours of work will be based on 36 hour working week and therefore 14.4 hours per week 14 hours 24 mins.
Do you want to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders across Scotland to play a key operational role in supporting national training initiatives that provide education and development opportunities for the pharmacy workforce?
Do you want to play a key role in enhancing the learning and development experiences of the pharmacy workforce?
Do you want to contribute to the delivery and development of the Foundation Training Year programme for trainee pharmacists or the Post-Registration Foundation programme for newly qualified pharmacists?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive in an ever-changing environment?
Do you enjoy building relationships and a shared vision for the future to support change and innovation?
Working within the NES Pharmacy team, you will have the opportunity to bring your unique skills and experience to the table, collaborating across multiple workstreams to effect real change within the pharmacy workforce in Scotland
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Practice Educators offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, wed love you to apply:
1. Pharmacist Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
2. Experience as a pharmacist practicing in any sector (Community, hospital, primary care), with experience of supporting trainees/learners
3. Ability to collaborate effectively and build networks and communities of practice
4. Experience in the delivery of activities which support change and development
5. Highly effective communicator, with the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information
6. Experience working collaboratively and flexibly within a team, across organisations and in multidisciplinary environments
7. Demonstrate honesty, integrity, care and compassion when dealing with others, utilising tact and persuasion skills when necessary
8. Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads, to meet strict deadlines
Benefits Which Matter
As a valued employee of NHS Scotland, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:
9. Life-work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and hybrid working
10. Generous NHS pension scheme
11. Annual incremental salary progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review
12. Annual Leave - 27 Days increasing in line with service plus 8 days public holiday
13. NHS discounts and more
Diversity and Inclusion
Developing a successful national service for Scotland means considering the diverse needs, perspectives, and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland. We are focused on hiring the very best talent and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Our aim to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, with respect, and has a positive recruitment experienceregardless of the outcome.
We welcome applications from all under-represented groups, including racially minoritised people and disabled people. It is not essential to be in a Practice Educator role right nowyou may be returning from a career break (e.g., maternity, paternity, caring) or coming from another field. Your experiences can bring a fresh perspective to our work.
If you are considering applying and would like to discuss the opportunity, any adjustments or alternative work patterns, please contact Leanne Murphy, Principal Lead for Foundation Training Year programme or Fiona McMillan, Principal Lead for the Post-Registration Foundation programme at pharmacy@
Next Steps
**NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
In person OR online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on Monday 20th April 2026. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.
For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.
Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.
14. Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face-to-face pre-employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
15. To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.
As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards willcheck your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the websitehere.
For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or going rate. Further information on these criteria can be foundhere.
It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsoredBEFOREsubmitting your application form.
If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: @