Go back Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Deputy Chief Pharmacist
The closing date is 30 September 2025
This high-impact senior role places you at the forefront of clinical pharmacy leadership within the Trust. As Deputy Chief Pharmacist, youll be instrumental in shaping strategic direction, driving service excellence, and ensuring the delivery of safe, effective pharmaceutical care across diverse clinical areas. Youll work closely with the Chief Pharmacist, deputising across internal and external forums, while managing a talented pharmacy team and spearheading service development aligned with national standards and the Trusts clinical ambitions. If youre passionate about transforming care and leading with purpose, this is your opportunity to make a lasting mark.
Main duties of the job
Represent Pharmacy team at Trust, regional, and local health economy meetings
Participate in clinical service rotas and act as Responsible Pharmacist
Support and deputise for the Chief Pharmacist in leadership and strategy
Manage daily clinical pharmacy services and supervise staff
Implement departmental strategy and lead service development
Develop KPIs and ensure professional standards are met
Provide visible leadership and performance oversight
Manage medicine budgets and procurement within financial guidelines
Collaborate on workforce strategy and service improvements
Deliver front-line pharmacy services when required
About us
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic NHS Trust (RJAH)is one of the leading orthopaedic hospitals in the country, with some of the highest levels of staff and patient satisfaction, as well as a strong reputation for research and innovation.
In the National Staff Survey, 74% of our staff would recommend the Trust as a place to work and 92% would recommend the hospital to a friend or relative for treatment.
Joining RJAH is more than just a job - we want our people to have the best opportunities to thrive in their role.We have a range of fantastic staff benefits on offer to everyone who joins RJAH and youll have access to outstanding professional development opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities - including our recently-opened £6 million Headley Court Veterans Orthopaedic Centre (the first unit of its kind in the UK).RJAH has strong links with a range of universities including Staffordshire, Keele, Glyndwr, Chester and Birmingham.The hospital is located on a site outside Oswestry in Oswestry, just off the A5. The nearest train station is in Gobowen, approximately two miles from the hospital. The station is part of the Chester to Birmingham line.We are based in North Shropshire, close to the border with North and Mid Wales. It is one of the most attractive parts of the country, with a rich historic culture and excellent transport links. It offers outstanding opportunities for anyone who enjoys an outdoor lifestyle or is looking to raise a family.
Job responsibilities
Assume a lead role in representing the Pharmacy team at relevant Trust, local health economy and regional meetings
Participate in relevant rotas for the provision of clinical services and GPhC responsible pharmacist within dispensary (including weekends and bank holidays)
To support the Chief Pharmacist in all aspects of leadership, development, strategy and management of all staff providing pharmaceutical services to the Trust
To deputise for the Chief Pharmacist in their absence across a range of forums, including externally from the Trust
To manage and ensure day to day provision of a clinical pharmacy service, including line management of the pharmacy team as per department structure
To support the Chief Pharmacist in implementing departmental strategy and vision embedding change into the clinical and operational services. This may include Trust initiatives and developing new roles for pharmacy across the organisation by liaising with other senior managers in the Trust
Work with the Chief pharmacist to devise KPIs for the pharmacy department and ensure that professional standards are being met
Providing visible and strong professional leadership and management of pharmacy staff.
Leading the identification and dissemination of appropriate performance standards to measure the effectiveness and quality and safety relating to the clinical pharmacy services.
Ensuring the implementation of financial management arrangements within the clinical pharmacy service, managing relevant medicine budgets and procurement contracts for identified clinical areas and work within standing financial instructions.
In collaboration with the pharmacy Senior Management Team, developing and implementing improvements in clinical pharmacy services, and ensuring the workforce strategy meets the strategic goals of the pharmacy team and the Trust objectives.
Deputising in the absence of the Chief Pharmacist and be managerially accountable for the pharmacy department
Participate in the front-line provision of pharmacy services as appropriate and when required.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
* Registered as Pharmacist with General Pharmaceutical Council
* Professional knowledge acquired through vocational masters degree in pharmacy (4 years) (or equivalent) plus 1 year pre-registration training
* Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent from a recognised UK provider (min 2 years)
* Independent prescribing qualification or willingness to undertake the qualification
* Management Training Qualification
Experience
* Recent (within last 2 years) acute hospital pharmacy experience working at a senior level.
* Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of workforce planning, education and training, governance and medicines safety gained through extensive, post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy practice.
* Demonstrable extensive experience of successful project management
* Experience of planning, delivering and reporting audit and research projects.
* Wide experience of ward-based clinical pharmacy
* Commitment and evidence of formal continuous professional development
* Experience of service development and staff management.
* Has specific experience developing business cases and gap analysis
Skills and Competencies
* Ability to deal with unpredictable workload.
* Has a proven ability to write policies and reports.
* Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining accuracy.
* Ability to sustain concentration for long periods
* Experience working with prescribing software.
Knowledge (including specialist or technical knowledge required)
* Good range of pharmaceutical knowledge.
* Ability to interpret complex data.
* Good interpretation and understanding of current pharmacy / NHS policies and standards - particularly relating to Pharmacy workforce development and Medicines Governance.
* Corporate approach.
Analytical and Judgemental skills
* Has the skills, knowledge and experience to analyse and interpret complex information relating to the national policies and standards for Pharmacy workforce development and implementation at RJAH.
* Has the skills, knowledge and experience to analyse and interpret highly complex national policies and safety alerts and adapt to develop appropriate policies at RJAH.
* Has the skills, knowledge and experience to provide expert advice and offer opinion and guidance to the Trust on development, implementation and maintenance of framework, policies and procedures for the regulation and assurance of safe handling of medicines at RJAH.
Planning and Organisational Skills
* Has the skills, knowledge and experience to be able strategically lead on the Pharmacy Governance and Medicines Safety for RJAH Trust.
* Has the skills knowledge and experience to be able to develop, plan and deliver a Pharmacy Workforce strategy to support the needs of the Trust in-line with the national Pharmacy workforce agenda.
Personal Qualities & Trust Values
* To exemplify the Trust Values: Friendly - patients, colleagues, public are always put at ease and made welcome Excellence - ensure the care we deliver has great outcomes for patients Caring - put the patient first and be considerate of their needs Professional - apply high professional standards to your .role Respect - for patients and each other
Other
* A team worker, able to act on own initiative and meet deadlines and manage time effectively.
* Presentable in professional setting and able to cope with challenges of managing aspects of Pharmacy services.
* Driving licence Able to work unsocial hours when required.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital
£64,455 to £74,896 a yearpro rata per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
224-PA20250802947
Job locations
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital
J-18808-Ljbffr