Western General Hospital
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
Are Ready to take on your next big challenge?
Join our dedicated and forward-thinking Clinical Trials team and help deliver cutting-edge, life-changing therapies that are shaping the future of medicine. This role is based within the clinical trials team and will include a clinical commitment within the cancer haematology team based within the Edinburgh Cancer Centre (ECC).Join us on the front line of innovation where your work truly makes a difference to helping patients access new treatments and advancing person-centred care.
This role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the delivery of NHS Lothians ambitious cancer clinical trials portfolio across a wide range of specialties. You will play a pivotal role in managing and delivering clinical trials including advanced therapies and emerging innovative treatments, aligned with NHS Lothians pharmacy and research strategies.
About the Role
NHS Lothian Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team plays a vital role in delivering around 200 clinical trials across multiple sites, covering a broad spectrum of clinical specialties. Were looking for a motivated and enthusiastic pharmacist with strong professional judgement to join our well-established multidisciplinary team.
This is a brand new role that has come from a recent service redesign. This hybrid specialist post combines responsibilities across the Cancer Clinical Trials Team and Clinical Cancer Services, offering a unique opportunity to shape research delivery while contributing directly to patient-centred cancer care.
Clinical Trials Portfolio
The cancer trials team is based at the Western General Hospital and as part of this, you will:
1. Support the safe and efficient delivery of investigational medicinal products (IMPs).
2. Work closely with multidisciplinary research teams and hospital pharmacy services.
3. Contribute to the initiation, management, and governance of clinical trials.
4. Participate in innovation, service development and enhance trial delivery.
Haematology Cancer Care Portfolio
The Edinburgh Cancer Centre (ECC), based at the Western General Hospital, provides specialist cancer services for the Southeast Scotland Cancer Network. As part of the Haematology Cancer pharmacy team, you will:
5. Deliver high-quality clinical pharmacy services to cancer patients.
6. Support digital chemotherapy prescribing through ChemoCare.
7. Contribute to service improvement and medicines optimisation projects.
8. Develop enhanced clinical practice, including opportunities for independent prescribing
Why Join Us?
This a fantastic opportunity to join our -progressive and innovative team, dedicated to modernising pharmacy services and expanding the roles of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and support staff in delivering high-quality clinical trials.
This is a unique chance to diversify your specialist experience combining work within clinical trial pharmacy service and clinical cancer care. We provide extensive training opportunities and career progression pathways, making this an excellent role for an experienced Band 6 pharmacist to step up to or a specialist pharmacist looking to expand their clinical portfolio.
You will play a key role in developing services that improve patient access to clinical trials and enhance how we deliver care by working to embed clinical trials into clinical care.
Join a dynamic organisation that values innovation, research, and excellence in healthcare delivery.
About You
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic pharmacist with a passion for delivering exceptional care.
Essential Qualifications and Experience:
9. A Master of Pharmacy Degree (or equivalent).
10. Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
11. Completed training or equivalent competence mapped to the
Skills and Attributes:
12. Experience in proactively influencing prescribing, using clinical knowledge to optimise patient care.
13. A strong patient-focused approach, with the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
14. Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, enabling effective decision-making in clinical and non-clinical settings.
15. A proactive attitude, with a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
16. A strong alignment with NHS Lothians values and a willingness to contribute to our dynamic team.
17. Excellent organisational, and time-management skills.
Experience and Knowledge:
18. Specialist knowledge and experience of working in clinical trials gained through relevant training courses (must be completed within the first 12 months in post) NES Pharmacy Clinical Trials module, GCP Certification, NIHR IMP management module, Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) eLearning.
19. Ability to work independently and within a multidisciplinary team
20. Clinical cancer experience is desirable but not essential, as relevant training will be fully supported.
About NHS Lothian
NHS Lothian covers Edinburgh city, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian. We are the second largest health system in NHS Scotland and one of only four teaching Boards. We have strategic partnerships with local Universities, Local Authorities and our four Integration Joint Boards. We serve a population of 900,000, providing a range of primary, community based and acute hospital services.
We foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and professional development, making NHS Lothian an exciting place to work and grow your career.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
For further information on what is included in the role and the skills/experience were looking for, please refer to the job description and person specification linked below. However, we understand that there's only so much a job pack can convey. We warmly encourage you to get in touch with the hiring manager. This is a great chance to have an informal discussion, ask questions, and explore how this role aligns with your career goals.
Reach out to:
Isla Currie, Advanced Pharmacist, Cancer Clinical Trials
@ 0131 537 1204
Ben Elliott, Advanced Pharmacist, Cancer Clinical Trials
@ 0131 537 3805
Jennifer Garbutt, Advanced Cancer Care Pharmacist (Haematology)
@ 0131 537 1023
.
As from 1/4/26, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part time hours will be reduced pro-rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected.
We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.
Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.
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. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.
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21. Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
22. Use AI wisely: Its fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but dont let it write your answers.
23. Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.
Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand younot an AI tool.
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a 'regulated role', your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.
For further information on what is included in the role and what skills/experience are being looked for, click on the links at the bottom of the screen to the job description and person specification. If after reading this information you have any questions, please contact Isla Currie at @or 0131 537 1204
- Urban Practice