Highly Specialist Pharmacist, Respiratory
Closing date: 04 June 2026
This is a fantastic opportunity for a committed, innovative and experienced pharmacist to join our Respiratory team.
This vacancy is open to all internal and external candidates. NHS employees should ideally secure their manager's agreement for a secondment prior to applying, as this will be a condition of any offer made.
This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term basis to cover maternity leave and will end after 12 months or when the substantive postholder returns. There is potential for the role to become permanent in the future.
Main duties of the job
* To deliver, develop and evaluate medicines optimisation services within the Respiratory Medicine team, primarily focusing on airways disease (asthma and COPD).
* To provide a high-quality, patient-centred and innovative pharmaceutical service in line with the Trust Clinical Strategy, NHS priorities and national standards.
* To work collaboratively with the Respiratory team and wider MDT to agree and deliver service objectives.
* To support and enhance the care of patients with respiratory disease across the primary and secondary care interface.
* To promote medicines adherence and optimise therapy, including support for home administration of biologic therapies where appropriate.
* To contribute to audit, service evaluation and research activity within respiratory pharmacy practice.
* To deliver clinical services across the Trust, including to the wider Live Well and Urgent Care division.
* To support the Principal Pharmacists for Live Well and Urgent Care and the Senior Leadership Team in delivering Trust, divisional and departmental objectives.
* To lead and support junior pharmacists.
About us
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that "happy staff, makes for happy patients". We have a recognised track record in staff engagement and living our values.
People at the Heart
Listen and Involve
Kind and Respectful
ONE Team
WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. We are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.
At WWL we value the benefits a rich and diverse workforce brings to our community and therefore welcome applications from all sections of society.
Job responsibilities
* Report to the Principal Pharmacist for Live Well and Urgent Care and support them in delivering and developing Pharmacy, speciality, divisional and Trust objectives.
* Deliver highly specialist clinical pharmacist services to your area of responsibility within the Trust including directorate level support such as horizon scanning, cost benefit analysis, ensuring PGDs / Shared Care Protocols are appropriate and assurance reporting is provided to the Division.
* Be a non‑medical prescriber.
* Work in partnership with other professionals and partners to reduce the number and severity of medicines‑related adverse events by identifying and implementing new systems of work.
* Thematically review existing medication practices, incident reporting and other intelligence to support safer medication practices within the specialist area.
* Investigate serious errors related to the use of medicines and report findings to the manager, alongside implementing action plans to improve practice.
* Develop, implement and audit unit‑wide policies, procedures and guidelines related to medication prescribing, supply, administration or disposal. Publish findings and undertake pharmacy practice research.
* Ensure compliance with medicines management guidance issued by the Trust, GMMMG or national bodies.
* Ensure compliance with Medicines Law and CQC requirements.
* Provide support for specialist and general areas primarily within the Live Well and Urgent Care Division.
* Support other divisions within the Trust when required by senior managers.
* Provide formal education to pharmacists and MDT members such as medics and nurses, including Trust induction and Trust level events.
* Produce, update and review clinical guidelines, monographs, PGDs, governance procedures and other documents requested by senior managers.
* Attend ward rounds and support junior colleagues to attend ward rounds when service provision allows. Provide specialist pharmacy input on these rounds alongside MDT members.
* Ensure medications provided to patients are licensed, and where this is not possible, support the division to implement and abide by the Restricted Medicine Policy.
* Engage in horizon scanning for matters affecting the Medicine Division, for example new products or new guidance from NICE, RCPCH, GMMMG.
* Encourage service development within the scope and funding received into Pharmacy. Explore and implement novel ways of working.
* Provide support to primary care providers, other secondary care providers and tertiary centres when required for issues that affect our patients.
* Serve as a point of reference for medical and nursing staff for any pharmacy queries.
* Ensure local medicines management policies are adhered to, including monthly CD audits.
* Review ward stocks together with medicines management technicians.
* Ensure high‑cost drugs are appropriately managed, e.g. Blueteq and PBR drugs.
* Provide directorate and clinical support to the Division.
* Support other divisions as required by senior managers.
* Support senior pharmacy and Trust colleagues in delivering objectives and implementing change.
* Contribute positively to the vision and direction of the department.
Qualifications
* Master's Degree in Pharmacy plus successful completion of pre‑registration training year (or earlier equivalent).
* Diploma/MSc in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent.
* Membership of the General Pharmaceutical Council.
* M.Sc. in Clinical Pharmacy Education Supervisor / Train the trainer.
* Management training.
Experience
* Extensive clinical pharmacy experience and service delivery working as part of MDT at a minimum of band 7 / Specialist Level.
* Recent experience of governance and assurance at departmental level.
* Recent experience of assisting a successful senior pharmacy team to achieve objectives.
* Recent experience of successfully delivering change.
* Clinical mentoring or pre‑registration tutor.
* Lead projects / audit in cooperation with others.
* Experience of audit and reporting.
* Experience of training and education.
* Experience of Drug Budget Control & Monitoring e.g. CIP, EMIS & high cost drugs.
* NHS management experience including experience of managing staff, workload and monitoring quality.
* Advanced communication skills, including the ability to liaise and negotiate effectively at all levels.
* Ability to present a high level of personal credibility.
* Ability to work as an inspirational leader to pharmacy and other clinical staff, inspiring confidence in others.
* Able to understand, disseminate and present complex information using both verbal and written disciplines.
* Shows delivery of high quality patient care, appropriate to the needs and expectations of patients and their relatives.
* Experience in the clinical speciality.
* Previous Clinical Pharmacy work in specialist area relevant to post.
* Experience of working with Electronic prescribing solutions.
* Experience of delivering postgraduate training.
* Demonstrate awareness of healthcare research.
* Fully understands context in which complex problems arise and can co‑ordinate multidisciplinary solutions.
* Demonstrates ability to approach problems from different angles.
* Ability to write a business case and governance reports or other such reports at divisional level.
* Politically astute – understanding of how to influence stakeholders, demonstrates the ability to represent the department at divisional meetings and those with external stakeholders e.g. CCG.
Skills
* Innovative clinical pharmacy practice using analytical / problem solving skills in complex situations.
* Able to assertively / enthusiastically lead, engage, motivate and inspire staff within and outside of pharmacy team.
* Ability to manage time, prioritising tasks to meet deadlines.
* Human resource management.
* Highly effective interpersonal & communication skills.
* Able to assess & manipulate a broad range of information quickly & accurately.
* Able to make effective judgements based on limited information.
* Project management skills.
Knowledge
* Broad academic/theoretical knowledge to support all of the required experience.
* Knowledge of NHS National policy & key changes / challenges in the NHS.
* Understanding of Trust values & strategy.
Additional
* Evidence of CPD in line with GPhC requirements.
* Enthusiasm for the post & for pharmacy.
* Professional credibility with all levels of staff.
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.
Wrightington Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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