Job summary
Responsible for the efficient and effective provision and development of Pharmacy services, to the Rheumatology speciality in accordance with UK Medicines legislation, the Code of Ethics of the General Pharmaceutical Council, United Kingdom Medicines Information (UKMI) standards and Trust policies and procedures. Provides specialist clinical pharmacy services at a high level to Rheumatology. Teaches and supervises less experienced pharmacists, technicians and students. Secondment available for internal candidates - Please speak to your line manager if you would like to apply for this secondment opportunity.

Main duties of the job
Provide specialist pharmacy support for patients with rheumatological, musculoskeletal, autoimmune, and inflammatory conditions. Deliver clinical and outpatient pharmacy services, review and optimise medicines, provide patient education, and support safe, effective, and cost-efficient prescribing.

Work closely with consultants, nurses, GPs, community pharmacists, and multidisciplinary teams to manage complex therapies, including biologics and high-cost medicines. Contribute to policy and guideline development, risk management, audits, quality improvement initiatives, adverse drug reaction reporting, and implementation of patient safety alerts.

Support the governance of homecare services, commissioning requirements, and funding applications. Supervise pharmacy staff, deputise for the Highly Specialist Rheumatology Pharmacist when required, contribute to staff training and education, maintain professional development, and participate in wider pharmacy service duties.

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details
Date posted: 02 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pa pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 339-NMSK5939-LGG
Job locations: Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Clinical Practice
1. Work with the Rheumatology team to further develop the service within Southmead Operating Unit.
2. Manage on-going pharmaceutical care of patients being maintained on drug treatment for Rheumatological and related musculoskeletal conditions.
3. Provide an outpatient service to patients with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, within own competence, referring when necessary.
4. Advise on strategies to ensure cost-effective use of resources.
7. Produce protocols, policies and guidelines in conjunction with the Rheumatology team on designated pharmaceutical practice relating to Rheumatology.
5. Provide pharmaceutical expertise to any multidisciplinary working groups considering protocols, policies and guidelines in the specialist area and attend weekly multidisciplinary team meetings.
6. Provide risk management support to the management of Rheumatology patients treated at Southmead Operating Unit including correct drug selection and managing supply shortages.
8. Work with the speciality to comply with existing NPSA drug alerts and help with the implementation and recommendation of actions for future Rheumatology related alerts and patient safety initiatives.
9. Provide a clinical ward pharmacy service to Musculoskeletal services and if necessary other clinical areas or provides support to the Pharmacy dispensary as directed by the Rheumatology team.
10. Deal with pharmaceutical queries and provides advice to medical and nursing staff from Rheumatology including senior medical staff.
11. Clinically screen prescriptions to ensure the safe, efficient, evidence-based and rational use of medicines in line with the Trust Formulary and departmental policies so that risks to patients are minimised.
12. Respond to prescription requests and queries from home delivery companies and medical team.
13. Collect clinical and cost outcome data and support rheumatology pharmacy team medicines optimisation initiatives.
14. Ensure that an accurate medication history is obtained for each patient, where appropriate, using the relevant sources (GP, community pharmacist, patient/carer, clinic notes, nursing home).
15. Provide advice and information to patients/carers to improve adherence and encourage self management with regard to treatment.
16. Work closely with GPs, Community Pharmacists, GP Practice Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals across the Integrated Care System, to answer outpatient prescribing and clinical queries.
17. Record all major interventions in line with departmental policy. Investigate and support the recording of Adverse Drug Reactions.
18. Provide patient education and clinical advice to Rheumatology patients.
19. Support medical team with MHRA Yellow Card reporting for adverse effects related to biologics and targeted synthetic therapies.
20. Triage Rheumatology non-medical prescriber (NMP) referrals from other team members.
21. Undertake any other relevant work outlined by the Rheumatology Clinical Lead, Rheumatology Consultant Pharmacist or Rheumatology Highly Specialist Pharmacist.
22. Audit and risk manage selected areas of practice to promote continuous quality improvement.
Leadership and management
23. Deputise for the Rheumatology Highly Specialist Pharmacist if required.
24. Develop and maintain medicines management systems in conjunction with patients/carers, ward staff and pharmacy staff.
25. Ensure that all procedures are adhered to, reviewed regularly and that all necessary records are completed.
26. Assist with establishing, implementing and monitoring service levels of appropriate Rheumatological high cost drug therapies to be administered via homecare services or the Medical Day Care Unit.
27. Provide intelligence and evidence of compliance requirements for PbR excluded, commissioned Rheumatology medication.
28. Support medical team with Individual Funding Request (IFR) submissions.
29. Provide assurance that resources are being used in line with commissioner guidance to the commissioning groups.
30. Supervise dedicated pharmacy staff.
Education
31. Keep up to date with developments in Pharmacy and Rheumatology in order to maintain a high level of professional knowledge and competence.
32. Attend study days and courses as necessary for the development of the service and the individual, if approved by Rheumatology.
33. Maintain a record of CPD.
34. Contribute to the training of pharmacy undergraduates, medical students, pre-registration pharmacists, qualified pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and medical and nursing staff as appropriate. Train and mentor clinical pharmacy diploma students on aspects of Rheumatology.
General Pharmacy - Participates in rotational schemes to cover weekend and Bank Holiday services.

Professional knowledge and expertise
Knowledge and Training Required
1. Degree in pharmacy (4 year programme leading to MPharm, BPharm or BSc [Pharmacy]) together with equivalent experience.
2. One year pre-registration experience pre-registration examination passed and tutor assessment satisfactory.
3. Current registration with General Pharmaceutical Society.
4. Has experience as a band 6 qualified hospital pharmacist.
5. Completed Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Certificate, Diploma or equivalent.
6. Postgraduate training / experience relevant to the specialist area (desirable).
7. Familiar with all relevant Trust policies and departmental Standard Operating Procedures.
8. Evidence of CPD.
Skills required
1. Must be able to manage time and prioritise effectively.
2. Ability to proactively use, maintain and develop professional knowledge in specialist area to enhance patient care through the safe and effective use of medicines.
3. Excellent interpersonal skills in order to communicate effectively with patients/carers, medical and nursing staff, colleagues within the pharmacy and staff working in primary care.
4. Deals with queries from all these groups and high level queries from senior clinical and non clinical staff within the Division/specialist area.
5. Problem solving appropriate to the level of the post.
6. Review and process complex information with minimum supervision.
7. Able to present information, both orally and written, in a clear and concise manner.
8. Ability to use own initiative and work as part of a team using an adaptable and flexible approach.
9. IT skills standard PC office software to ECDL level and data base searches.
10. Able to advise on pharmacy legislation relevant to specialist area.
Physical demands
Combination of sitting, standing, walking; occasional moderate physical effort. Walking between locations; occasional restricted position / lifts. Safe manual handling (e.g. moving pharmacy supplies, assisting movement of patients). Carry out physical examinations of patients (e.g. joint assessments). Cognitive demands constant concentration required. Frequent interruptions; unpredictable work pattern; work to deadlines; some stressful demands. Concentration for reviewing prescriptions, calculations, statistics, reports, policy documents, interrupted by urgent requests for advice. Emotional resilience Frequent exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances. Working with distressed patients and relatives (e.g. dealing with treatment failure, patients in a flare up, chronic and acute pain). Work environment occasional unpleasant working conditions, possible exposure to verbal aggression, handle controlled drugs and cytotoxic.

Person Specification
Education/Training/Qualifications
Essential

• BPharm / MPharm degree
• Member of General Pharmaceutical Council
• Completed Post Graduate Diploma or equivalent in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or Rheumatology
• Evidence of CPD
• Credentialed as an Advanced Pharmacist according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Core Advanced Pharmacy framework or demonstrates working towards, at or beyond this level

Desirable

• Qualified Pharmacist Independent Prescriber (or willing to train)

Work Experience
Essential

• Previous experience as a band 6 qualified hospital pharmacist
• Experience of audit, quality systems, medicines guideline or policy development

Desirable

• Experience relevant to the specialist area
• Pharmacoeconomics experience
• Experience of teaching

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Essential

• Proactive approach to the application of specialist pharmaceutical knowledge in order to enhance patient care
• Able to manage time and prioritise effectively
• Problem solving skills appropriate to level of post
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding of finance systems and management of this effectively
• Able to advise on pharmacy legislation relevant to specialist area

Desirable

• Knowledge of specialist area

Personal Qualities / Special Circumstances
Essential

• Adaptable and flexible approach to work
• Able to work under own initiative and as part of a team
• Excellent interpersonal skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce.