Foundation Pharmacist/Specialist Pharmacist

Posting date:	06 January 2026
Salary:	£38,682.00 to £46,580.00 per year
Additional salary information:	£38682.00 - £46580.00 a year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	18 January 2026
Location:	317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary, NE1 4LP
Company:	NHS Jobs
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	C9317-26-0025

Summary

Our department has undergone significant transformation within the past 12 months following appointment of a new Chief Pharmacist and a restructuring within the senior leadership team of our clinical services. Our clinical services have secured significant investment, allowing us to expand our clinical services, create new posts and support career progression for our staff. Transitional Band 6 to 7 Programme In 2026; our clinical services will launch our novel Foundation Pharmacist (FP) Transitional Band 6 to 7 Programme. FPs will develop a portfolio of evidence demonstrating workplace-based achievement of locally prioritised learning outcomes from the most recent RPS early careers pharmacist curriculum. The portfolios will be reviewed by sufficiently qualified independent reviewers who will make an outcome recommendation for each foundation pharmacist. Successful portfolio submissions will then allow individuals to transition across to a band 7 role and continue to rotate throughout our specialities. It is anticipated that it will take a minimum of 18 months to compile the information for the portfolio and there will be fixed submission points during the year. Year 1 Foundation Pharmacist All newly qualified pharmacists do not join our on-call rota for their first year of qualification and spend the first 10-12 months of their band 6 role in a training role building up to joining the on-call rota. All our newly qualified pharmacists are given the option of working a compressed week of 4 days, with a full day off every week (the day off varies week by week). The pharmacists contribute to the late shift rota, working on site; shadowing and supporting the on call pharmacist; getting exposure to the problems that arise out of hours and supporting any out-of-hours dispensing. The pharmacists also work weekends either at the Freeman Hospital or Royal Victoria Infirmary working alongside senior pharmacists in the dispensary, on the wards clinically or on the assessment suite. Year 2 Foundation Pharmacist Pharmacists join our on-call rota after their first year of qualifying / being a foundation pharmacist. Pharmacists who are already qualified and have experience of working elsewhere will be able to join the on-call rota at this point. Our on-call rota runs with a minimum of 30 pharmacists on it; and is made up of a combination of band 6 and band 7 pharmacists. Pharmacists undertake one night of on-call at a time. All on-call shifts are followed by a full-rest day off. In addition to this, everyone is paid at an enhanced rate at the top of a band 7 for all disturbances throughout the on-call shift. Pharmacists have the option of staying in accommodation on site during on-call shifts. We offer flexible working options to all our staff including different options of compressed shift patterns such as 9 day fortnights. The recruitment days are face to face and will be held over 4 days between Tuesday 27th January and Friday 30th January in our training facility within Eldon Court in the centre of Newcastle. The recruitment days are organised so that applicants take part in a group activity in the morning and then a one-to-one interview in the afternoon. Lunch is provided after the group activity alongside a presentation about the foundation training programme we offer, and the opportunity to meet fellow pharmacists who are currently working as part of our team during a departmental tour. Due to the nature of the assessments, remote / online interviews are not possible. You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy. NO AGENCIES PLEASE