Clinical Pharmacist
Closing date: 16 June 2026
We have an opportunity for a Specialist Clinical Pharmacist to join our pharmacy team. We pride ourselves in working at the leading edge of clinical pharmacy practice and medicines optimisation, with our teams winning national recognition for innovative, high‑quality patient care. The post will be based at either Darlington Memorial Hospital or University Hospital of North Durham, however the successful applicant may be required to work on any of the Trust hospital sites.
Main duties of the job
Deliver a high standard of near‑patient specialist pharmaceutical care to our patients. Support the pharmacy team to deliver governance, education, training and service improvement to the specialist area. Help shape the strategic direction of pharmacy by supporting the development of innovative new services. Receive mentoring and development opportunities, including independent prescribing, RPS portfolio development and further education.
Applicants currently undertaking a postgraduate Clinical Diploma may be eligible for financial support to continue this with us. Pharmacists who have already completed a diploma will be supported to undertake an Independent Prescribing qualification.
Responsibilities
- Deputise for the Pharmacist Advanced for the area, supervise a team of clinical pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and support workers to deliver safe, effective and efficient clinical pharmacy and medicines management services.
- Provide medicines management, optimisation and reconciliation services to help achieve department priorities and targets on designated wards, day‑case units or clinics.
- Help develop and implement local policies and guidelines on good prescribing practice.
- Influence local practice to ensure safe medication use and risk minimisation.
- Serve as point of contact for nursing and clinical staff regarding medicine management issues.
- Provide medicines information to healthcare professionals and new drug reviews using available resources.
- Participate in clinical pharmacy services for multidisciplinary teams (e.g., outpatient clinics, pre‑assessment).
- Provide high‑quality patient education on medicines in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
- Engage in activities relating to clinical effectiveness, including drug use review, clinical audit and self‑audit, contributing to service evaluation.
- Support planning and implementation of service changes and new treatments.
- Act as a professional checker in the dispensary and/or chemotherapy service.
Experience
- Experience of working as a qualified pharmacist in a clinical setting.
- Experience of day‑to‑day registered pharmacy staff supervision.
- Experience of delivering education and training sessions.
- Hospital pharmacy trainee or qualified pharmacist experience.
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to trainee pharmacists.
Special Requirements
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to build strong relationships across the multidisciplinary team.
- Motivated to develop personally and professionally through self‑audit, reflection and learning.
- Ability to prioritise own workload in a busy and changing environment.
- Ability to travel independently across Trust sites.
Statutory Registration
- Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
- Membership of a pharmacy professional body (e.g., RPS, UKCPA, BOPA, NPPG).
Qualifications
- Masters degree in pharmacy or equivalent.
- Post‑graduate clinical qualification or working towards it (to at least diploma level) or portfolio evidence of attainment to the same standard.
- Evidence of CPD.
- Pharmacist prescriber or able to undertake the training within 12 months of commencement.
- Evidence of an up‑to‑date portfolio of personal professional activity.
Special Skills & Knowledge
- Good understanding of medicines reconciliation and its role in clinical pharmacy practice.
- Ability to apply evidence‑based clinical knowledge to make suitable recommendations or take appropriate actions.
- Aware of where to seek appropriate information to solve problems and make decisions.
- Ability to assimilate and communicate complex medicines information to patients and healthcare professionals across the multidisciplinary team using appropriate language and different mediums.
- Aware of and able to inform others about clinical, legal and governance aspects of medicines.
- Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner in all areas of pharmacy practice.
- Understanding of current pharmacy and NHS issues.
- Awareness of the pharmacy team’s role in governance processes.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
Subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exemptions Order) 1975; a Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required.
Equal Opportunities
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under‑represented.
Salary
£49,387 to £56,515 a year (pro rata, per annum).
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Location: Darlington Memorial Hospital, University Hospital of North Durham, and other Trust sites.
