Deputy Chief Pharmacist: Lead for Quality Improvement and Research
| Posting date: | 02 October 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £74,290 - £85,601 pa pro rata |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 01 November 2025 |
| Location: | Southampton, SO16 6BT |
| Company: | South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 7521578/195-25-280-AMR |
Summary
A Vacancy at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
The post holder will be the Consultant Pharmacist for Ambulance Services at South Central Ambulance Services NHS Trust and will work with other local healthcare economy organisations to influence the strategic management of medicines within the ambulance service across the South Central Ambulance community.
The post holder will communicate in appropriate ways, highly complex information about medicines in the ambulance service to paramedics, consultant and other clinicians, general practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, patients and carers in order to achieve the optimum use of medicines.
Support the Head of Pharmacy in developing a Trust-wide culture that reduces medication errors and supports excellent medicines use.
Responsible for supporting the Head of Pharmacy with the implementation of the medicines optimisation strategy throughout the trust.
To enhance links and collaboration between Pharmacy and other staff within the Trust.
Contribute to the wider healthcare community's management of medicines and influence Pharmacy practice.
Develop a Trust strategy for education and training in relation to Medicines use, design curriculum, plan and deliver specialist training on medicines optimisation to a wide range of healthcare providers.
With the Head of Pharmacy, co-ordinate the development of an enhanced medicines surveillance and feedback system to clinicians.
Provide expert advice at highly specialist level on pharmaceutical matters relating to medicines use and support the development of guidelines in the use of medicines.
Lead, plan and undertake clinical audit and research in relation to improving medicines use, including reviewing the appropriateness of clinical directorate audit programmes with respect to ambulance medicines use.
Provide leadership on ambulance medicines use at a regional and national level for primary and secondary care.
Provide education and training on medicines use to trust, local higher educational institutes and beyond. This will include pharmacists, doctors and nurses at undergraduate and post-graduate level.
Benefits we offer:
• Full training and a range of courses which you can book locally.
• Holiday entitlement of 27 days, rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years’ service, plus an additional 8 days bank holiday (pro rata for part time).
• Automatic enrolment into the NHS Pension Scheme.
• Access to continual professional development within SCAS and the wider NHS.
• Occupational Health support and direct access to our Employee Assistance Programme as well as our own Health and Wellbeing Team.
• NHS Discounts in over 200 + stores saving money on holidays, days out, car insurance, restaurants, clothing and much more.
• Ability to join our staff networking groups (as a member, ally or just for interest).
Corporate Induction
It’s really important for us to ensure you have the best onboarding experience which allows you to feel a sense of belonging from the start. To help with this, we will book your Corporate Induction as soon as we possibly can (depending on availability).
All new starters need to attend our *Corporate Induction in person, this is held over one and half days from our educational centres based in: Newbury (Berkshire), Bicester (Oxfordshire) or Whiteley (Hampshire). More specific details will be sent to you once your start date has been confirmed.
*Please note – depending on your role additional training may be required following on from your corporate induction.
Key responsibilities
A. Expert Practitioner
· Fulfil the role of Consultant Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner, improving the use of ambulance medicines in the Trust. Provide information and advice on therapeutic and cost-effectiveness measures and guide doctors in the composition of appropriate drug treatments for individual patients in accordance with Trust Policy and guidelines. Able to communicate clearly the rationale for advice where this is challenged.
· Fulfil the role of highly specialist pharmacy practitioner for patients requiring medicines, developing and evaluating pharmaceutical care for patients across the Trust (adults and children).
· Review prescriptions, challenge treatment choices and communicate highly complex drug and therapeutic information to senior clinicians, senior managers and other professionals in order to influence treatment options and ensure compliance with medicines legislation and avoid errors and side effects.
· Participate in joint reviews with other members of the ambulance service and provide highly specialist advice to senior clinicians on drug treatments for individual patients, applying critical analysis skills, professional knowledge and judgement where information is lacking or opinion is divided to influence medical consultants on the management of pharmaceutically complex cases. Be able to conduct an open discussion when advice is challenged.
· Advise the Pharmacy department where their expertise or support is required to achieve the best therapy for patients.
· Provide information and highly specialised advice to patients and their carers to support the use of medicines as required.
· Provide advice on pharmaceutical and medicines optimisation aspects to the Medicines Optimisation & Governance Group.
B. Professional Leadership and Consultancy
·Lead pharmacy projects in accordance with the Medicines ImprovementPlan
· Act as a role model for pharmacists, non-registered pharmacy staff, paramedics and others in the management of medicines within the ambulance service, demonstrating advanced skills in drug utilisation review and evaluation.
· Accept referrals by other pharmacists to solve complex problems in emergency treatment and work with ambulance colleagues where appropriate.
· Work with the Operations team to develop a culture within the Trust that reduces medication risks.
· Interpret national guidance to advise the Trust on strategies to comply with national targets or statements.
· Work with Head of Pharmacy, Director for Patient Care & Medical Director, in the ongoing development of strategies for multi-professional support for patients requiring medication.
· Participate in the Medicines Optimisation and Governance Group meetings, along with other members of the pharmacy team.
· Act as a clinical pharmacy resource for the Pharmacy Medicines Information service.
· Use advanced skills in drug utilisation review/evaluation analysing drug usage patterns and trends to advise on budgetary issues, inform business-planning processes and to support the Head of Pharmacy in the management of medicines usage and spend in the Trust.
· Provide advice to support and participate in the production of corporate reports on medicines use.
· Test the clinical justification of expensive treatments at individual patient and policy level. Horizon scan and support the managed entry of new medicines together with, and as part of the Medicines Optimisation and Governance Group.
· Research, develop, advise on, and maintain records of, clinical pharmacy policies and guidelines for medicines usage (including prescribing protocols) together with and as part of the Medicines Optimisation and Governance Group. This may be in response to business needs, adverse events or the introduction of new drugs in order to facilitate the cost-effective, safe and appropriate use of drugs. Advise on balance of cost and benefits.
· Act as a role model for pharmacists in the practice of high standards relating to medicines use within the ambulance service.
· Advise and participate in national (eg. Department of Health, United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society) and regional groups, forum and working parties to develop good practice in the use of medicines in the ambulance service.
C. Education and Training and Development
· Responsible for the provision of specialist teaching and the delivery of core training to paramedics, nurses, pharmacists, doctors and other healthcare staff. In particular, ensure that paramedics understand and can apply the medicines guidelines and know where to obtain further advice in relation to their medicines use.
·Strategically plan and organise specialist training in medicines management in the ambulance service for pharmacists at postgraduate diploma and specialist practitioner programmes in collaboration with local universities. This includes advising on postgraduate curricula, preparing specialist modules and examination questions.
· Working with highereducation institutes or specialist training associationto further strategically develop scholarly activities at both undergraduate and postgraduate level to ensure clinical pharmacy practitioners are both competent and confident.
· Identify pharmaceutical training needs of other healthcare practitioners and contribute to the training of healthcare professionals across the Trust.
· Teaching on pharmacy undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Mentoring students and providing specialist-training sessions.
· Contribute to the training and induction of junior doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals across the Trust.
· Support the development of consultant pharmacists in other clinical areas and, where applicable, advanced pharmacists posts.
D. Practice and Service Development, Research and Evaluation
· Advise the Head of Pharmacy where problems in terms of guideline use or prescribing are emerging. Work with the Pharmacy team, cross covering where possible for leave. Support a team approach to resolve problems or improve practice.
· Contribute to the development of corporate medicines error reduction programmes and plans in collaboration with other members of the ambulance service.
· Design, plan and organise practice research relating to medicines management in the ambulance service in collaboration with the Head of Pharmacy and Assistant Medical Director.
· Submit grant applications to obtain funding for research projects in collaboration with Higher Education Institutes
· Supervise postgraduate research and audit projects.
· Provide advice and support to other professionals undertaking pharmacy practice research within the Trust and in the national arena.
· Promote pharmacy practice research–support the development of clinical pharmacy practice and clinical pharmacy practitioners within the Trust and the national arena.
· Support the development, validation, dissemination and lead the implementation of guidelines on ambulance medicines.
· Design, conduct and lead regular research projects on pharmacy interventions, administration errors related to medicines use, the use of medicines guidelines. Prepare reports using relevant software (using Excel and Access) for internal benchmarking. Maintaining local database records for pharmacists to feed into risk management.
· Design, plan and organise clinical audits to evaluate prescribing in accordance with local and national guidelines and influence clinicians to secure changes in prescribing practice to ensure evidence-based medicine is used where appropriate.
· Publish results of research and audit in professional journals and present findings and implications at national, European and international conferences.
· Provide strategic advice to the Associate Director of Pharmacy Patient Care, and the Lead Pharmacist for Clinical Services regarding the planning of future clinical pharmacy workforce requirements.
· Develop clinical pharmacy practice and act as a role model for all pharmacists both locally and nationally. Provide expert advice to senior pharmacists working in other directorates across the Trust and acting as a clinical pharmacy resource for the Pharmacy Medicines Information service.
· Initiate changes in consultation with relevant colleagues, within broad policies relating to this specialist area, by interpreting professional guidance and National Strategy Statements for adaptation and use within the Trust.
E. Other duties
· Provide cover for colleagues’ absence, at departmental, as appropriate to the needs of the service and as directed by the relevant local manager.
· Perform other pharmaceutical duties as required by the Head of Pharmacy.
This advert closes on Thursday 9 Oct 2025
The post holder will be the Consultant Pharmacist for Ambulance Services at South Central Ambulance Services NHS Trust and will work with other local healthcare economy organisations to influence the strategic management of medicines within the ambulance service across the South Central Ambulance community.
The post holder will communicate in appropriate ways, highly complex information about medicines in the ambulance service to paramedics, consultant and other clinicians, general practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, patients and carers in order to achieve the optimum use of medicines.
Support the Head of Pharmacy in developing a Trust-wide culture that reduces medication errors and supports excellent medicines use.
Responsible for supporting the Head of Pharmacy with the implementation of the medicines optimisation strategy throughout the trust.
To enhance links and collaboration between Pharmacy and other staff within the Trust.
Contribute to the wider healthcare community's management of medicines and influence Pharmacy practice.
Develop a Trust strategy for education and training in relation to Medicines use, design curriculum, plan and deliver specialist training on medicines optimisation to a wide range of healthcare providers.
With the Head of Pharmacy, co-ordinate the development of an enhanced medicines surveillance and feedback system to clinicians.
Provide expert advice at highly specialist level on pharmaceutical matters relating to medicines use and support the development of guidelines in the use of medicines.
Lead, plan and undertake clinical audit and research in relation to improving medicines use, including reviewing the appropriateness of clinical directorate audit programmes with respect to ambulance medicines use.
Provide leadership on ambulance medicines use at a regional and national level for primary and secondary care.
Provide education and training on medicines use to trust, local higher educational institutes and beyond. This will include pharmacists, doctors and nurses at undergraduate and post-graduate level.
Benefits we offer:
• Full training and a range of courses which you can book locally.
• Holiday entitlement of 27 days, rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years’ service, plus an additional 8 days bank holiday (pro rata for part time).
• Automatic enrolment into the NHS Pension Scheme.
• Access to continual professional development within SCAS and the wider NHS.
• Occupational Health support and direct access to our Employee Assistance Programme as well as our own Health and Wellbeing Team.
• NHS Discounts in over 200 + stores saving money on holidays, days out, car insurance, restaurants, clothing and much more.
• Ability to join our staff networking groups (as a member, ally or just for interest).
Corporate Induction
It’s really important for us to ensure you have the best onboarding experience which allows you to feel a sense of belonging from the start. To help with this, we will book your Corporate Induction as soon as we possibly can (depending on availability).
All new starters need to attend our *Corporate Induction in person, this is held over one and half days from our educational centres based in: Newbury (Berkshire), Bicester (Oxfordshire) or Whiteley (Hampshire). More specific details will be sent to you once your start date has been confirmed.
*Please note – depending on your role additional training may be required following on from your corporate induction.
Key responsibilities
A. Expert Practitioner
· Fulfil the role of Consultant Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner, improving the use of ambulance medicines in the Trust. Provide information and advice on therapeutic and cost-effectiveness measures and guide doctors in the composition of appropriate drug treatments for individual patients in accordance with Trust Policy and guidelines. Able to communicate clearly the rationale for advice where this is challenged.
· Fulfil the role of highly specialist pharmacy practitioner for patients requiring medicines, developing and evaluating pharmaceutical care for patients across the Trust (adults and children).
· Review prescriptions, challenge treatment choices and communicate highly complex drug and therapeutic information to senior clinicians, senior managers and other professionals in order to influence treatment options and ensure compliance with medicines legislation and avoid errors and side effects.
· Participate in joint reviews with other members of the ambulance service and provide highly specialist advice to senior clinicians on drug treatments for individual patients, applying critical analysis skills, professional knowledge and judgement where information is lacking or opinion is divided to influence medical consultants on the management of pharmaceutically complex cases. Be able to conduct an open discussion when advice is challenged.
· Advise the Pharmacy department where their expertise or support is required to achieve the best therapy for patients.
· Provide information and highly specialised advice to patients and their carers to support the use of medicines as required.
· Provide advice on pharmaceutical and medicines optimisation aspects to the Medicines Optimisation & Governance Group.
B. Professional Leadership and Consultancy
·Lead pharmacy projects in accordance with the Medicines ImprovementPlan
· Act as a role model for pharmacists, non-registered pharmacy staff, paramedics and others in the management of medicines within the ambulance service, demonstrating advanced skills in drug utilisation review and evaluation.
· Accept referrals by other pharmacists to solve complex problems in emergency treatment and work with ambulance colleagues where appropriate.
· Work with the Operations team to develop a culture within the Trust that reduces medication risks.
· Interpret national guidance to advise the Trust on strategies to comply with national targets or statements.
· Work with Head of Pharmacy, Director for Patient Care & Medical Director, in the ongoing development of strategies for multi-professional support for patients requiring medication.
· Participate in the Medicines Optimisation and Governance Group meetings, along with other members of the pharmacy team.
· Act as a clinical pharmacy resource for the Pharmacy Medicines Information service.
· Use advanced skills in drug utilisation review/evaluation analysing drug usage patterns and trends to advise on budgetary issues, inform business-planning processes and to support the Head of Pharmacy in the management of medicines usage and spend in the Trust.
· Provide advice to support and participate in the production of corporate reports on medicines use.
· Test the clinical justification of expensive treatments at individual patient and policy level. Horizon scan and support the managed entry of new medicines together with, and as part of the Medicines Optimisation and Governance Group.
· Research, develop, advise on, and maintain records of, clinical pharmacy policies and guidelines for medicines usage (including prescribing protocols) together with and as part of the Medicines Optimisation and Governance Group. This may be in response to business needs, adverse events or the introduction of new drugs in order to facilitate the cost-effective, safe and appropriate use of drugs. Advise on balance of cost and benefits.
· Act as a role model for pharmacists in the practice of high standards relating to medicines use within the ambulance service.
· Advise and participate in national (eg. Department of Health, United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society) and regional groups, forum and working parties to develop good practice in the use of medicines in the ambulance service.
C. Education and Training and Development
· Responsible for the provision of specialist teaching and the delivery of core training to paramedics, nurses, pharmacists, doctors and other healthcare staff. In particular, ensure that paramedics understand and can apply the medicines guidelines and know where to obtain further advice in relation to their medicines use.
·Strategically plan and organise specialist training in medicines management in the ambulance service for pharmacists at postgraduate diploma and specialist practitioner programmes in collaboration with local universities. This includes advising on postgraduate curricula, preparing specialist modules and examination questions.
· Working with highereducation institutes or specialist training associationto further strategically develop scholarly activities at both undergraduate and postgraduate level to ensure clinical pharmacy practitioners are both competent and confident.
· Identify pharmaceutical training needs of other healthcare practitioners and contribute to the training of healthcare professionals across the Trust.
· Teaching on pharmacy undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Mentoring students and providing specialist-training sessions.
· Contribute to the training and induction of junior doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals across the Trust.
· Support the development of consultant pharmacists in other clinical areas and, where applicable, advanced pharmacists posts.
D. Practice and Service Development, Research and Evaluation
· Advise the Head of Pharmacy where problems in terms of guideline use or prescribing are emerging. Work with the Pharmacy team, cross covering where possible for leave. Support a team approach to resolve problems or improve practice.
· Contribute to the development of corporate medicines error reduction programmes and plans in collaboration with other members of the ambulance service.
· Design, plan and organise practice research relating to medicines management in the ambulance service in collaboration with the Head of Pharmacy and Assistant Medical Director.
· Submit grant applications to obtain funding for research projects in collaboration with Higher Education Institutes
· Supervise postgraduate research and audit projects.
· Provide advice and support to other professionals undertaking pharmacy practice research within the Trust and in the national arena.
· Promote pharmacy practice research–support the development of clinical pharmacy practice and clinical pharmacy practitioners within the Trust and the national arena.
· Support the development, validation, dissemination and lead the implementation of guidelines on ambulance medicines.
· Design, conduct and lead regular research projects on pharmacy interventions, administration errors related to medicines use, the use of medicines guidelines. Prepare reports using relevant software (using Excel and Access) for internal benchmarking. Maintaining local database records for pharmacists to feed into risk management.
· Design, plan and organise clinical audits to evaluate prescribing in accordance with local and national guidelines and influence clinicians to secure changes in prescribing practice to ensure evidence-based medicine is used where appropriate.
· Publish results of research and audit in professional journals and present findings and implications at national, European and international conferences.
· Provide strategic advice to the Associate Director of Pharmacy Patient Care, and the Lead Pharmacist for Clinical Services regarding the planning of future clinical pharmacy workforce requirements.
· Develop clinical pharmacy practice and act as a role model for all pharmacists both locally and nationally. Provide expert advice to senior pharmacists working in other directorates across the Trust and acting as a clinical pharmacy resource for the Pharmacy Medicines Information service.
· Initiate changes in consultation with relevant colleagues, within broad policies relating to this specialist area, by interpreting professional guidance and National Strategy Statements for adaptation and use within the Trust.
E. Other duties
· Provide cover for colleagues’ absence, at departmental, as appropriate to the needs of the service and as directed by the relevant local manager.
· Perform other pharmaceutical duties as required by the Head of Pharmacy.
This advert closes on Thursday 9 Oct 2025
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.