Overview
Frimley Health NHS Trust is seeking a Chief Pharmacy Information Officer for a fixed-term 12-month maternity cover. The postholder will lead the strategic development and management of pharmacy information systems, including Electronic Patient Record Epic, Automated Dispensing Cabinets, and other pharmacy systems, ensuring these systems support safe, effective, and efficient pharmacy services. This role involves close collaboration with Digital Services to deliver system implementation and Electronic Patient Record (EPR) optimisation tailored to pharmacy needs. The Chief Pharmacy Information Officer will act as the vital link between pharmacy and clinical teams, as well as external stakeholders across the Trust and Integrated Care Board (ICB), to drive interoperability and integrated digital solutions that enhance patient care pathways. This is a key leadership opportunity for a pharmacy informatics expert committed to advancing digital transformation within NHS pharmacy.
Responsibilities
* Provide specialized advice on digital transformation systems and the Trust's EPR, focusing on prescribing and medicine usage. Ensure alignment of digital pharmacy strategy with business plans.
* Develop a digital workforce for pharmacy, ensuring EPR and logistics system training and certification for all team members.
* Advise on procurement, implementation, and benefits realization in clinical and non-clinical digital system projects from a pharmacy perspective.
* Act as the main contact between the Trust EPR team and Pharmacy Team, liaising with external stakeholders, including ICB and other pharmacy networks, to provide specialist advice on new systems, changes, data, and reports.
* Ensure tasks and operations related to prescribing are responsive, safe, effective, and efficient, including logging, monitoring, and escalating EPR system incidents.
* Accountable for clinical governance in electronic prescribing, ensuring safe, cost-efficient, and effective use of the prescribing system and medicines.
* Ensure EPR system adherence to local and national guidelines. Advise and support the Senior Pharmacy Team and lead pharmacists on digital decisions, including electronic prescribing, to incorporate into the pharmacy development plan.
* Lead the Trust pharmacy digital strategy.
* Strategic development: continue post-implementation optimisation and maintenance of the EPR system in line with guidelines relating to medicine safety, formulary, and protocols; plan and implement other systems (e.g., WellSky, Omnicell) and assess impact on clinical documentation across FHFT sites.
* Ensure optimum use and maintenance of systems; incorporate pharmacogenomics within digital systems; advise on information systems maintenance, options, optimisation, and strategic planning with regular board reports.
* Advise the Trust CMIO, CNIO, and IT on pharmacy digital enabling issues and risks (dispensing, pharmacy database management, chemotherapy, aseptic manufacturing, etc.).
* Modernise and transform Pharmacy Services in collaboration with external suppliers to streamline automated processes.
* Support design, implementation, build, and maintenance of bespoke software solutions for data capture and reporting within the Pharmacy.
* Support developing the strategy for pharmacy automation including robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
* Oversee all application development for pharmacy to provide digital solutions that improve efficiencies within the context of the EPR programme.
* Support research activity of senior clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by advising and developing information reporting as required.
* Advise the Trust on electronic solutions to improve patient safety, efficiencies and savings including electronic ward cabinets, secure storage, and optimising use of the EPR.
* Support alignment of multiple sites and harmonisation of practice where appropriate; contribute to patient experience initiatives using digital technology to improve outcomes (e.g., patient surveys, remote pharmacy consults).
* Operational/Digital: develop, implement, and monitor policies relating to the pharmacy digital component of the EPR, ensuring compatibility with Trust IT standards and national IT direction.
* Responsible for resolution of technical and operational issues relating to pharmacy computer systems; configure and maintain EPR drug files, order sets, and electronic guidance links.
* Extract and analyse complex sensitive information from IT sources to support clinical activities within pharmacy and other Trust departments.
* Manage and implement business continuity plans for all pharmacy IT systems, information flows and equipment; be an expert in EPR functionality, configuration, and day-to-day practice.
* Ensure EPR team provide onsite presence during new workflow implementations and offer on-the-ground expert support; lead and co-ordinate pharmacy response to installations of software and updates.
* Ensure changes including medication builds are quality assured, accurately completed, and approved; provide final sign-off after testing before migration to live environments.
* Be responsible for requesting and approving medication builds in EPR, liaising with lead pharmacists, formulary, and clinicians.
* Work closely with clinical teams within each Pharmacy and the Trust to provide oversight for medication management workflows from design through testing and sign-off.
* Provide managerial support to continuously improve the FHFT pharmacy intranet and internet, maintaining a comprehensive database of guidelines, policies, and promotion of pharmacy services.
* Keep up to date with national best practices related to EPR and engage in national events and regional/national networking; support clinical governance relating to electronic prescribing and collaborate with the Trust digital team.
* Maintain good record-keeping of all decisions; advise on prioritisation of issues; liaise with internal and external stakeholders to develop and maintain interfaces.
* Lead on development of system data and reporting for dashboards for pharmacies, including quality and efficiency; identify data quality issues within FHFT pharmacy systems and resolve issues before incidents or financial risks arise.
* Financial: manage costs for training and international expenses relating to EPR certification; support reporting of all drug transactions to meet the Trust’s information needs and support the Pharmacy Cost Improvement Programme (CIP).
* Management and leadership: prioritise workload and direction of the pharmacy EPR team; act as a positive role model, provide coaching and mentoring, promote evidence-based practice, supervise staff, and deputise for the line manager as required.
This advert closes on Thursday 25 Sep 2025
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