Lead Pharmacist Antimicrobial Management

Job summary

Help shape the future of antimicrobial stewardship at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust. A newly created Principal Pharmacist ,Antimicrobial Stewardship role leading initiatives to optimise antimicrobial prescribing and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

The role will support the expansion of our antimicrobial stewardship programme, strengthening our approach to the safe, effective and sustainable use of antimicrobials across the organisation. The postholder will help shape antimicrobial stewardship activity within the Trust while contributing to collaborative work across Greater Manchester networks.

Working closely with pharmacy, microbiology, infection prevention and clinical teams, you will lead stewardship initiatives, influence prescribing practice and support quality improvement to optimise antimicrobial use and patient outcomes.

What makes this role different?o Opportunity to influence antimicrobial prescribing and support safer use of medicines.o Collaboration with antimicrobial stewardship partners across Greater Manchester.o Opportunities to contribute to service development and stewardship leadership.

Support the Trust's response to antimicrobial resistance and help optimise antimicrobial use across the organisation.

We are looking for a pharmacist with strong clinical expertise, leadership skills and a passion for improving medicines use.

Informal enquiries are welcomed from candidates interested in learning more about this role.

Main duties of the jobThe postholder will provide highly specialist clinical leadership for antimicrobial stewardship, support organisational compliance with national antimicrobial policies and targets, and contribute to the development of antimicrobial stewardship strategy within the Trust and across local healthcare partners. The role will support delivery of national priorities relating to antimicrobial resistance and stewardship, including relevant UK antimicrobial resistance strategies and NHS England antimicrobial stewardship programmes.

The role includes responsibility for antimicrobial governance, clinical leadership of Antimicrobial Stewardship initiatives, development of antimicrobial prescribing policy, and education of healthcare professionals.

The postholder will ensure that Antimicrobial Stewardship services contribute to the delivery of pharmaceutical care that is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led in line with Trust and regulatory expectations.

This post forms part of a structured development pathway for advanced Antimicrobial Stewardship leadership

About us Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that 'happy staff, makes for happy patients'. We have a recognised track record in staff engagement and living our values.

People at the Heart Listen and Involve Kind and Respectful ONE TeamWWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. We are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.

At WWL we value the benefits a rich and diverse workforce brings to our community and therefore welcome applications from all sections of society.

Details Date posted
10 August 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

BandBand 8bSalary
66,582 to 77,368 a year

pa pro rata

Contract Permanent Working  pattern

Full-time,

Flexible working

Reference number
302-L-PHARM-AJob locations

Royal Albert Edward Infirmary Wigan LaneWiganWN1 2NN
United Kingdom Job description

Job responsibilities

To lead the operational delivery of the Trust Antimicrobial Stewardship programme and ensure that it develops in line with local, regional, and national directives.

Develop and implement the Trust Antimicrobial Stewardship Strategy and operational delivery plan..Working in partnership with other professionals and partners, to lead quality improvement initiatives to optimise antimicrobial prescribing and reduce antimicrobial-related harm throughout the Trust by identifying and implementing new systems of work.

Thematically review antimicrobial prescribing data, incident reports, and resistance trends in line with existing and proposed Antimicrobial Stewardship practices, to identify opportunities for improvement and support safer antimicrobial prescribing across the organisation Report findings / recommendations for change to manager, governance team & Trust executives.

Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary forum which focuses on Anti-Microbial Stewardship. Deal with complaints and patient / staff / management concerns in relation to Anti-Microbial Stewardship. To liaise with those directly affected by such events & produce appropriate feedback. To refer such issues to relevant line manager once identified.

Develop and disseminate Antimicrobial Stewardship guidance, alerts and…