BHSCT Lead Pharmacist, Acute Older People Services Band 8A

Ref: 56027242
Branch: Belfast HSCT
Location: TOWER BLOCK
Salary: Band 8a (£55,690 - £62,682)
Contract Type: Permanent
Opening date: 11/11/26
Closes: Wed, 25 November 2026 @ 4:30 PM
Interview Dates: To Be Confirmed
Notes: We accept online applications only.

A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week. Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards.

Flexible Working
We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

Successful applicants have the opportunity to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of Flexible Working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations, what provisions are available depends on the role being undertaken.

Apply and Job Description
To view the full job description and apply for this position please click the Job Details and apply button below. The page within our job application software will open in a new window.

Our help section provides guides and support information to candidates completing the application form.

Applicants with a disability who require support, please contact the relevant person in the organisation you are applying to. For known accessibility issues please view the accessibility statement for the application portal.

Full job description documents:

• Job Description / Personnel Specification
• Recruitment & Selection Procedures

Job Title: Lead Pharmacist, Acute Older People Services
Band: Band 8a
Directorate: Cancer and Specialist Services
Location: Belfast City Hospital
Reports To: BCH Clinical Pharmacy Lead
Accountable To: Professional Manager Pharmacy Services, Specialist and Community Services

Job Summary
The post holder will lead, deliver, develop, manage, evaluate and be responsible for clinical pharmacy service to the Acute Older People Services. The service will be delivered in accordance with objectives and priorities agreed by multi-professional collaboration between the post holder, Clinical Pharmacy Lead and senior medical and nursing staff in order to ensure the safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of medicines.

Periodically for business continuity purposes and ensuring service delivery you will be required to work, within your sphere of competence, on other pharmacy sites within the trust.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• To act as a clinical role model for junior pharmacists and demonstrate the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in these patients.
• Participate in the provision of a comprehensive clinical pharmacy service to patients including medicines reconciliation on admission, transfer and discharge, prescription chart review, producing pharmaceutical care plans, and attending consultant ward rounds.
• Undertake the role of Pharmacist Independent Prescriber, with the appropriate qualifications, according to the needs of the Acute Older People Services and in line with the Trusts Non-Medical Prescribing policy.
• Actively promote the principles contained within the Northern Ireland Clinical Pharmacy Standards.
• Follow legal, ethical, professional and Trust codes of conduct.
• Communicate highly sensitive complex medicines related information to the multiprofessional team.
• Use persuasive skills when counselling to achieve concordance to medication.
• Manage difficult and ambiguous problems.
• Demonstrate a whole-system, patient-focused approach.
• Demonstrate and be able to apply expert clinical knowledge and an advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgement.
• Ensure the appropriate implementation of national guidance relevant to the specialist area.
• Lead on the development of prescribing protocols and guidelines within the Acute Older People Services in collaboration with care of the elderly pharmacists on other sites to ensure a standardised approach.
• Demonstrate awareness and commitment to the Trust's Clinical Governance and Quality Improvement strategy.
• Participate in discharge planning of patients and liaise with community pharmacists and/or General Practitioners about prescribing issues.
• Communicate medicines optimisation issues at interface with Medicines Optimisation Older People (MOOP) Pharmacy team in Intermediate Care and Care Homes and encourage referral to Medicines Adherence service when required.
• Liaise with other pharmacists to ensure efficient transfer of pharmaceutical care within the Trust and externally to and from other Trusts.

Leadership

• To lead clinical pharmacy services for patients admitted to the acute older people service wards and units in line with Trust, regional and national standards of medicines optimisation.
• To be responsible for the delivery of pharmaceutical services to the acute older people services.
• Provide pharmaceutical care to patients to meet the medicines related needs of patients and the aims of the regional medicines optimisation framework.
• Collaborate with the BHSCT Consultant Pharmacist Older People to deliver on regional priority initiatives in Older Peoples Services across the interface e.g. deprescribing, compliance aids, and frailty pathways.
• Attend multidisciplinary team meetings.
• Identify and promote best practice.
• Motivate and inspire others (within the speciality, pharmacy department and the wider field of pharmacy).
• Pro-actively develop clinical pharmacy services to both areas in line with local, regional and national objectives.
• Recognise and utilise innovative practice.
• Extend the boundaries of the profession in the best interests of patients.
• Ensure that issues related to pharmaceutical care are appropriately represented.
• Work collaboratively with senior pharmacy and medical staff, the multi-professional team, MOOP pharmacy team and management.
• Raise the profile of pharmacy locally, regionally and nationally.
• Contribute to strategic groups affecting the direction of acute older people services at a local, regional or national level.
• Represent pharmacy at relevant meetings and conferences.

Management

• Manage and lead a team of pharmacists and technicians delivering specialist clinical pharmacy services for patients admitted to the older people service wards and units.
• Identify and prioritise clinical pharmacy services to the acute older people services.
• Reconcile and action national priorities within the Trust for acute older people services.
• Co-ordinate and manage the clinical pharmacy extended hours rota within older people services.
• Work across professional boundaries and communicate effectively across any barriers.
• Ensure local, regional, national agendas are delivered.
• Establish and follow processes for the setting of standards of care.
• Identify and manage change.
• Identify and manage risk including recording, investigation and monitoring of medication incidents within the speciality areas and implementing any necessary changes to practice.
• Delegate authority appropriately to junior staff.
• Be involved in all HR related process for junior staff recruitment, management of leave and sickness, dealing with performance and conduct.
• Help evaluate the performance of junior members of staff in association with the Clinical Pharmacy lead.
• Provide detailed, interpreted reports on drug expenditure.
• Identify changes in prescribing practices that may impact on the drugs budget.
• Identify new prescribing practices that may impact on budget (horizon scanning).
• Identify areas where drug expenditure may be minimised and negotiate/influence practice within the multi-disciplinary team to realise these cost improvements.
• Support, as required, applications to be submitted to the New Drugs Committee for new requests from within the specialist area including proposals for unlicensed medicines.
• Demonstrate professional accountability to service users, stakeholders and the profession.
• Identify and acquire resources required to improve clinical pharmacy services to the acute older people service.
• To deputise for the Clinical Pharmacy lead during their absence and when appropriate.

Evaluation of Service

• Ensure the quality of the pharmacy service to the acute older people services is in line with the needs of the user.
• Evaluate the contributions that clinical pharmacy staff have to the acute older people service.
• Ensure all departmental standards are met.
• Take a lead for and undertake clinical audit as part of the multi-professional audit process.

Research and Development

• Develop clinical pharmacy services for patients admitted to the acute older people service wards and units.
• Demonstrate a critical approach towards pharmacy services delivered to Acute Older People Services.
• Integrate research evidence into practice.
• Undertake benchmarking with other UK Older People Service centres in order to identify best practice.
• Identify gaps in the evidence base.
• Undertake own research and audit.
• Guide and support others undertaking research.
• Establish research partnerships with Higher Education Institutes.
• Support the development, implementation and monitoring of patient group directions where appropriate and according to the needs of the service.
• Develop and put into practice services that meets the changing needs of the user.
• Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate protocols and guidelines.
• Actively seek to improve the unit and clinical services provided.
• Liaise with and support the Lead Pharmacist-Clinical Trials/ Clinical Research Nurses in relation to pharmaceutical issues in respect of clinical trials.

Education and Training

• Identify training needs of staff in order to undertake the roles required.
• Develop strategies to meet the training needs of staff.
• Provide and evaluate education and training to pharmacy staff/students and other staff (e.g. nursing staff/students, medical staff/students, etc.).
• Actively participate in planning and delivering their own CPD portfolio.
• Maintain a broad knowledge base of pharmacy practice by participation in other areas of clinical pharmacy practice.
• Provide education and training to staff from other NHS Trusts/ organisations and non-NHS personnel on request/ as required.
• Be a FTY DPP/ES and/or an Enhanced/Advanced Pharmacy Practice mentor as required.

General Requirements

• Undertake other duties as may be assigned to you from time to time.
• Maintain required standards of appearance and dress.
• Participate in dispensary duties.
• Participate, if required, in the BHSCT Extended Hours Service.
• Participate, if required, in the BHSCT On-Call Rota.
• Participate in the Weekend and Statutory Duty Rota.
• Pharmacy Services are provided from a number of locations across the Belfast Trust and you will be required to work from any of those Trust sites during the Saturday, EHS or on-call service.
• Support the Trust in its drive for seven day working in order to ensure it best meets the needs of our patients.
• The post holder will be expected to participate in life-long learning, maintain awareness of current practice, a current CPD Portfolio and attend such courses and training as may be deemed necessary by the Pharmacy Services Manager and/or the Pharmacy Team Leader.
• The duties and responsibilities outlined in this job description are neither meant to be definitive nor restrictive and may be modified to meet changing needs. It should be noted therefore that duties, designation and location of post might be subject to change in the future to meet the changing requirements of the service.

General Responsibilities
Employees of the Trust are required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible and:

• At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner.
• Promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with Belfast Trust's Whistleblowing Policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.
• Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them.
• Comply with the Trust's Smoke Free Policy.
• Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with the Health and Safety Policies and Statutory Regulations.
• Adhere to Equality and Good Relations duties throughout the course of their employment.
• Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in service provision.
• Maintain high standards of personal accountability.
• Comply with the HPSS Code of Conduct.

Information Governance
All employees of Belfast Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant and to comply with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust policies on Information Governance including for example the ICT Security Policy, Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy and to seek advice if in doubt.

For further information on how we use your personal data within HR, please refer to the Privacy Notice available on the HUB or Your HR.

Environmental Cleaning Strategy
The Trusts Environmental Cleaning Strategy recognizes the key principle that "Cleanliness matters is everyone's responsibility, not just the cleaners". Whilst there are staff employed who are responsible for cleaning services, all Trust staff have a responsibility to ensure a clean, comfortable, safe environment for patients, clients, residents, visitors, staff and members of the general public.

Infection Prevention and Control
The Belfast Trust is committed to reducing Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) and all staff have a part to play in making this happen. Staff must comply with all policies in relation to Infection Prevention and Control and with ongoing reduction strategies. Standard Infection Prevention and Control Precautions must be used at all times to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

This includes:

• Cleaning hands either with soap and water or a hand sanitiser at the appropriate times (WHO '5 moments');
• Using the correct '7 step' hand hygiene technique;
• Being 'bare below the elbows' when in a clinical environment;
• Following Trust policies and the Regional Infection Control Manual (found on intranet);
• Wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);
• Ensuring correct handling and disposal of waste (including sharps) and laundry;
• Ensuring all medical devices (equipment) are decontaminated appropriately i.e. cleaned, disinfected and/or sterilised;
• Ensuring compliance with High Impact Interventions.

Personal Public Involvement
Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community where relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust's ongoing commitment to Personal Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information.

Personnel Specification
Job Title and Band: Lead Pharmacist, Acute Older People Services Band 8a
Department / Directorate: Pharmacy / Cancer & Specialist Services
Hours: 37.5

Essential Criteria
Experience: Two years hospital experience at Band 7 or above. Experience in the pharmaceutical management of older people.
Qualifications/Registration: MPharm or equivalent qualification; membership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland or eligible for membership; minimum of a post-graduate Masters or higher qualification OR a post-graduate Diploma and currently undertaking the final year to complete the masters qualification by 31st August 2027; be in possession of, or currently studying for, a postgraduate certificate in independent prescribing.
Other: Hold a current full driving licence valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment; be able to respond to an emergency call within 30 minutes under normal travelling conditions and have access to transport in order to respond.

Skills / Abilities: Highly developed communication skills; evidence of team working and building working relationships; ability to motivate self and others (assessed at interview).

Desirable Criteria
Experience: Experience of conducting and managing quality improvement or research projects; wider teaching experience (e.g. to multi-disciplinary team).

Candidates shortlisted for interview will need to demonstrate the competencies set out in the NHS Healthcare Leadership Model, with particular attention to inspiring shared purpose, leading with care, evaluating information, connecting our service, sharing the vision, engaging the team, holding to account, developing capability and influencing for results.

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for The Organisation to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

THE ORGANISATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants may be required to attend for a Health Assessment; can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant and equivalent to the post; are able to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment.

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times.