Job Summary
This is a senior leadership role at the forefront of medicines optimisation, innovation, and digital transformation within one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country.
Lead Pharmacist for High Cost Drugs, Homecare, Business and Procurement Services, you will shape the strategy that ensures patients across Sussex receive safe, effective, and sustainable access to life‑changing medicines.
You’ll lead ambitious projects in automation, homecare reform, and efficiency, working with clinicians, commissioners, and national bodies to drive change that truly matters. We’re looking for a confident, visionary pharmacist with strong leadership, financial acumen, and a passion for improving systems that directly impact patient care.
Join us, and you’ll be part of a collaborative and forward‑thinking team that values innovation, compassion, and professional growth – where your ideas will influence both local delivery and regional strategy.
Main Duties
* Lead and develop Trust‑wide services for high‑cost medicines, homecare delivery, procurement, and medicines efficiency, ensuring patients receive safe, effective, and sustainable treatment. Oversee complex budgets, supplier contracts, and governance frameworks, collaborating with clinicians, finance teams, and national partners to optimise spend while improving patient outcomes.
* Strategise, negotiate, and develop multidisciplinary teams, drive innovation in service design and digital transformation, and maintain quality improvement, patient safety, and system‑wide collaboration.
Responsibilities
* Provide strategic and professional leadership for the Trust’s medicines efficiency, homecare, procurement, and contracting portfolios.
* Ensure high standards of governance, financial stewardship and patient safety across all areas of medicines use and supply.
* Oversee high‑cost drug re‑charging processes and lead operational and workforce redesign of pharmacy homecare and procurement teams.
* Manage supplier contracts and SLAs, and drive digital and automation projects to improve efficiency.
* Chair or support key governance forums, including subsidiary pharmacy contract‑management meetings and lead Trust’s medical gases governance and development programmes.
* Work closely with the Chief Pharmacist, divisional leadership teams, finance and procurement colleagues, clinical directors and regional NHS partners.
Versatile Experience
* Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
* Significant senior management experience within hospital pharmacy, with track record in medicines efficiency, homecare or procurement.
* Track record of leading multidisciplinary teams, managing performance and driving service improvement across multiple sites.
* Evidence of strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, including use of data to inform business cases and strategic decisions.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to influence senior stakeholders and work collaboratively across organisational boundaries.
* Alignment with Trust values, professionalism and commitment to patient safety, inclusion and quality improvement.
Desirable
* Postgraduate qualification in Management, Leadership or Clinical Pharmacy at Diploma/MSc level.
* Experience leading regional or national workstreams, policy development or commissioning initiatives.
* Experience mentoring or coaching senior staff and developing leadership capability within teams.
* Experience leading digital transformation, automation or data‑driven improvement projects.
* Experience representing pharmacy services at regional or national forums.
Other Information
Eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship is provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including relevant skill and salary thresholds and any role‑specific criteria.
Salary: £70,417 to £81,138 a year per annum, pro rata.
Band: 8c.
Contract: Secondment.
Working pattern: Full‑time, Part‑time.
Reference number: 279‑7544225‑NOV25.
Location: Cross site (Brighton, Hayward's Heath, Worthing and Chichester), Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, BN2 5BE.
Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack/.
Employer
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.
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