Deputy Lead Pharmacist

Overview

Deputy Lead Pharmacist role to work in close partnership with the Lead Pharmacist, delivering high‑quality specialist pharmacy advice and driving medicines optimisation across the Business Unit. Focus on improving patient outcomes, supporting innovation, and ensuring medicines are used safely and in line with best practice. Working under the guidance of the Lead Pharmacist, you will support compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks including Human Medicines Regulations, Controlled Drugs legislation, CQC requirements, NICE guidance, Patient Safety Alerts, and MHRA communications.

You will contribute to medicines governance, service improvement, audits, and day‑to‑day operational oversight, including contract management and SLAs.

This role will be primarily based across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, or Wiltshire, with flexibility to work within any of these locations. Applications from both full-time and part-time hours are welcome.

• Provide expert medicines management and optimisation advice across inpatient and community services, including complex clinical scenarios.
• Promote safe, effective, and evidence‑based prescribing and good professional practice across the Business Unit.
• Support medicines governance, ensuring compliance with CQC, Home Office, and other regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to audits, incident reviews, risk assessments, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Assist in the development, review, and implementation of medicines policies, SOPs, PGDs, and the Medicines Optimisation Strategy.
• Analyse medicines‑related data and contribute to reports for governance and assurance purposes.
• Participate in and support Clinical Governance and Medicines Optimisation meetings.
• Work collaboratively with pharmacy, clinical, and Non‑Medical Prescribing (NMP) teams, providing guidance, supervision, and education.
• Support prescribing audits, including controlled drugs, and escalate medicines safety concerns appropriately.
• Promote antimicrobial stewardship in collaboration with Infection Prevention and Control leads.
• Maintain up‑to‑date professional knowledge, meet GPhC standards, and undertake ongoing CPD and personal development.

• Essential:
  Registered Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) with evidence of ongoing CPD; experience in primary care, community, or hospital pharmacy; experience chairing meetings and supporting Non‑Medical Prescribers; strong IT and organisational skills; ability to produce high‑level reports and present at governance committees; excellent communication and influencing skills; understanding of national policy relating to community health services and commissioning; knowledge of ePACT data and evidence‑based medicine principles;
  
  understanding of clinical governance and regulatory frameworks; ability to work independently and flexibly; full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work travel.
• Desirable:
  Knowledge of integrated health and care systems and commissioning processes; experience in interagency working (e.g., Local Authorities, CQC, Home Office); experience in nurse‑led inpatient units; experience in community hospitals and/or community health services.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and may require a Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to check for any previous convictions.