University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Chief Pharmacist to lead our pharmacy services. This is an exciting leadership role in a large acute hospital Trust with four main sites and several satellite campuses including: Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Health, Worthing Hospital, Worthing, St Richards Hospital, Chichester.
The role offers an excellent opportunity to join a Trust committed to improvement and further strengthening our pharmacy services ensuring alignment with our clinical divisions. The Trust already has robots at three of our hospital sites and ensuring that we continue to embrace technology and innovation will be a key part of the role.
Interviews are scheduled in person on 30^th September 2025
Stakeholder presentation is scheduled via teams on 25^th September 2025, The Chief Pharmacist will provide proactive and engaging leadership ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation and standards. They will also lead work related to medicines optimisation, patient safety, quality assurance, risk management and pharmacy efficiency.
Demonstrating a real passion for service improvement, our new Chief Pharmacist will manage a programme of transformation ensuring that we develop a positive team culture with a shared sense of purpose and vision across all sites.
To succeed in the role, you are likely to be a Deputy Chief Pharmacist or Chief Pharmacist looking to further develop your career in one of the largest hospital Trust's in the Southeast. You will role model a transformational and inclusive leadership style and be ready to drive change and improvement at scale for the benefit of our staff and patients.
If this sounds like you, please get in touch with, Act as the Trust's most senior expert in Medicines Optimisation, with delegated corporate responsibility from the Chief Executive, including all statutory duties.
· Fulfil the duties of Superintendent Pharmacist as required by the General Pharmaceutical Council.
· Provide strategic and professional leadership for all pharmacy and medicines optimisation services across the Trust and to external customers.
· Ensure pharmacy services are patient-centred, safe, progressive, cost-effective, and delivered within agreed budgets by competent staff.
· Lead business planning, including budget setting, developing cases of need, and resource procurement based on evaluation and evidence.
· Drive continuous improvement and innovation in pharmacy services, embedding quality improvement and R&I principles.
· Provide professional leadership and development support to all pharmacy staff.
· Maintain accountability for audit, research, and service evaluation activities related to medicines optimisation.
· Lead and manage strategic project planning for pharmacy services, assessing resource requirements and potential impact across the Trust.
· Oversee pharmaceutical education delivery, ensuring alignment with educational contracts and standards.
· Positively influence stakeholders to achieve high standards in medicines optimisation across the organisation.
· Lead on business planning, formulating cases of need and submitting bids for procurement of additional resources based on evaluation, research, quotations and established contracts.
· Lead on the strategic planning of the pharmacy department's projects, identifying potential impacts on the Trust and wider organisations, resource requirements and building in contingency and adjustments as necessary
· Appraise and evaluate service delivery and role development.
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations-elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications
At UHSussex we're proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK's largest acute Trusts, we're a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.
Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal - to always put our Patient First. In fact our mission is summed up by our 'where better never stops' motto and you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex.
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
As part of our commitment to access for all, please see the different ways you can access the application form:
https://apps.trac.jobs/accessibility?_ts=1
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
At UHSussex (UHSx), diversity is our strength, & we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness & experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, & can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) & a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients & staff with the same compassion & empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above & beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our candidate information pack & wellbeing programme, for staff which is extensive & designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching & training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us & throughout your career we will help you to grow & develop. We hope that in choosing UHSx you are choosing a long & happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make & feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application & the start of your journey with UHSx.
Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack
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