Director of Pharmacy

Director Of Pharmacy

Location:

Derby, Oldbury and Chesterfield with some travel

Contract:

Permanent, 37.5 Hours a week Salary: £91,713 ( Band 8d ) Purpose of the role:
The Director of Pharmacy is the organisation's most senior pharmaceutical leader, accountable for the strategic direction, governance, quality, and performance of all pharmacy and medicines optimisation services. The postholder will provide executive leadership to ensure the safe, clinically effective, and financially sustainable use of medicines across the organisation. This includes corporate accountability for medicines safety, regulatory compliance, medicines optimisation, and pharmaceutical risk, with explicit responsibility for:
Controlled Drugs (CD) governance and licensing compliance, including robust safe-management systems, auditability, incident response, and statutory assurance. Wholesale Distribution Authorisation (WDA) oversight, ensuring compliance with MHRA expectations and Good Distribution Practice (GDP), including quality systems, inspection readiness, and supply chain integrity Key areas of responsibility:
Regulatory & Professional Standards Support the Head of Clinical Delivery in maintaining continuous regulatory readiness, including CQC inspections and follow-up actions. Ensure clinical practice aligns with professional codes, national guidance, and NHS Pathways licence requirements. Medicines Safety and Clinical Governance (including Controlled Drugs) Hold corporate accountability for medicines safety and pharmaceutical governance, including incident learning, investigation oversight, and system improvement.

Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements (including GPhC standards and MHRA requirements where relevant). Lead medication safety, risk reduction, and quality improvement initiatives across services. Act as the organisation's Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO) where designated or provide executive leadership and assurance to the appointed CDAO function, ensuring statutory duties are discharged effectively. Ensure end-to-end CD governance: SOP framework, procurement/ordering controls, secure storage and safe custody arrangements, CD registers and recordkeeping, stock balance checks, disposal/destruction processes, and discrepancy management.

Ensure timely, proportionate response to CD incidents, losses, suspected diversion, and concerns, embedding a culture of reporting, learning, and accountability. Maintain effective relationships with external CD stakeholders where applicable (e.g., regulators, oversight bodies) and ensure appropriate reporting and engagement pathways are embedded. Wholesale Distribution Authorisation (WDA) and Supply Chain Assurance Provide executive accountability for organisational compliance with WDA licence conditions and MHRA GDP expectations, ensuring governance, resources, and oversight are sufficient for safe wholesale activity.

Ensure robust arrangements are in place for a fit-for-purpose GDP Quality Management System (QMS), including SOP control, deviation/CAPA, change control, risk management, self-inspection, training competence, and supplier/customer qualification. Ensure effective appointment, support, and assurance of the Responsible Person (RP) function (including training and role clarity), with appropriate governance visibility and escalation routes. Maintain inspection readiness: audit schedules, evidence packs, management review cadence, and demonstrable control of outsourced/third-party logistics where used.

Operational and Service Leadership Provide executive oversight of pharmacy service delivery and performance across sites and service lines. Ensure pharmacy services are safe, efficient, responsive, and resilient, with appropriate business continuity and capacity planning. Drive continuous improvement, productivity, and service modernisation, using data to manage performance and quality. Oversee external contracts, partnerships, wholesalers, and supplier relationships, ensuring robust governance and measurable value.

Medicines Optimisation and Clinical Effectiveness Lead organisation-wide medicines optimisation programmes, focusing…