About this role
Job summary
Are you ready to shape the future of pharmacy in urgent and emergency care? University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Advanced Pharmacist to lead and develop pharmacy services across the Emergency Department and Acute Medicine Division at Royal Derby Hospital.
This Band 8a role combines advanced clinical practice with strategic leadership. You will work alongside multidisciplinary teams to optimise medicines, prescribe and deprescribe within your scope of practice, reduce risk and deliver exceptional patient care. You will also influence service design, develop guidelines, lead audits and research, support medicines governance, manage expenditure and inspire pharmacists, technicians and trainees.
We are looking for a GPhC-registered pharmacist with a postgraduate clinical pharmacy diploma, a relevant independent prescribing qualification and significant hospital experience. You will bring expert clinical judgement, excellent communication skills and the drive to turn ideas into sustainable improvements.
If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy solving complex problems and want your leadership to make a visible difference from the moment patients enter hospital, this is an exceptional next step. Join a research-active organisation committed to inclusion and Exceptional Care Together. We look forward to welcoming you to the team.
Main duties of the job
- Lead, deliver and develop clinical pharmacy services across the Emergency Department and Acute Medicine Division.
- Provide advanced clinical pharmacy input, including medicines reconciliation, prescription review, prescribing, deprescribing and resolving complex therapeutic problems.
- Advise patients and multidisciplinary teams on the safe, effective and evidence-based use of medicines.
- Monitor clinical standards, medicines safety, prescribing practice and compliance with local and national requirements.
- Review medication incidents, manage risks and contribute to clinical governance and quality improvement.
- Analyse medicines expenditure, identify cost pressures and support business cases and service planning.
- Develop guidelines, policies and procedures, and lead medicines-use audits and research.
- Manage, supervise, train and support pharmacists, technicians and trainees, including coordinating rotas.
- Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to deliver exceptional patient care.
- Maintain professional competence and participate in flexible seven-day, weekend, bank-holiday and on-call services as required.
Closing date of applications: 22 November 2026
Interview date: 4 December 2026
About us
As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.
Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.
In return we will offer
- Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
- On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
- Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes
Key Facts
- We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
- We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England - an average of 2077 per week.
- An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day - 3rd largest in the country.
- Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
- Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
- We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
- We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
- UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job description and Person Specification. To apply please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.
UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AIgenerated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.
Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click on the link to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorshipSkilled worker: Health and Care Visa | NHS Employers
Important visa information: Due to UK Home Office immigration rule changes effective from 22 July 2025, applicants sponsored under Occupation Code 6131 (Nursing Auxiliaries and Assistants) may not be eligible to bring dependants under the Skilled Worker route if their Certificate of Sponsorship is issued on or after this date. Applicants are responsible for understanding how these rules apply to their individual circumstances. The Trust cannot provide immigration advice. Further information is available on the Skilled Worker visa: Your partner and children - GOV.UK
Your application (for shortlisting purposes) is assessed based on the Person Specification in the job advert (below).
Person Specification
Education, Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational Master's Degree in Pharmacy plus additional demonstrable pre-registration training, portfolio-based experience and final examination. Statutory regulatory membership of the General Pharmaceutical Council.
- PG Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent
- Non-medical prescribing qualification within specialist area of practice relevant to acute admissions.
Desirable
- Membership of other organisations (e.g. RPSGB, Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, UKCPA, RCEM, etc)
- Higher degree e.g. Masters, DPharm or management.
- Formal leadership training.
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- Significant post-registration hospital practice experience including time in specialist clinical pharmacy practice.
- Wide-ranging clinical pharmacy experience and expert knowledge and ability to use research findings to develop services and patient care.
- Evidence of ongoing Continuing Professional Development and learning.
Desirable
- Significant experience in a clinical speciality as an expert in clinical pharmacy practice within an acute medicine / admissions role.
- Specialist training in advanced clinical examination skills to independently manage and treat patients in acute settings.
- Experience as part of organisational, multidisciplinary committees and working groups.
- Proven experience in service building and development.
Skills and Ability
Essential
- Evidence of evaluation of best practice - applies research findings and patient information to practice. Promotes evidence-based practice.
- Demonstrates advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgement and is able to manage difficult and ambiguous problems in accordance with a documented medical plan, scope of practice and clinician support
- Analyses complex data / information to identify improvements to clinical pharmacy services. Able to articulate information to justify actions taken.
- Able to cope with a number of complex issues at any one time.
Desirable
- Communicates best practice outside the organisation.
- Prior experience managing change.
- Contributes to multidisciplinary audit and practice-research.
Communications and interpersonal skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, verbal and written to communicate with a broad spectrum of people
- Effective computer / IT knowledge and skills.
- Ability to influence senior & junior healthcare staff (pharmacy, medical, nursing staff and managers) e.g. therapeutic decisions.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Royal Derby Hospital
Uttoxeter Road
Derby
DE22 3NE
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)