Job summary
A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a Senior Clinical Pharmacist to join a nationally acclaimed Secondary Prevention Service for the patients in Gateshead. This is an innovative service commenced in September 2023 that is pivotal to supporting the national agenda of cardiovascular disease prevention and reducing premature deaths from CVD. The Gateshead Secondary Prevention Service has won 2 prestigious Health Service Journal awards (Medicines, Pharmacy and Prescribing Initiative of the Year 2025; and Best Pharmaceutical Partnership with the NHS 2026) and was also winner of the "Outstanding NHS Industry Collaboration" award at the regional Bright Ideas in Healthcare Awards 2024.

We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic and highly skilled clinical pharmacist, with a prescribing qualification and a keen interest in working in lipid management, secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic health. Under guidance and mentorship of the consultants leading the service, the post holder will provide specialist clinical pharmacist input and contribute towards existing longitudinal data collection on patient benefit and outcomes.

Main duties of the job
The successful applicant will work closely as part of the established Secondary Prevention MDT to review patient referrals into the service. Supported by a team of senior medical consultants from relevant specialities, they will then initiate and monitor patients on guideline-directed medical therapies to support achievement of cardiovascular risk factor targets.

As part of the team, you will work closely alongside the cardiology, endocrinology, stroke, renal and vascular surgical teams at Gateshead to provide patient-centered care and ensure optimisation of therapies.

You will share progress of the project with senior pharmacy colleagues, service line manager for medicine and the key stakeholders of cardiology, endocrinology and stroke teams. There is also the opportunity for participating in a regional lipid network to share ideas and experiences.

A self-starter with strong communication skills, passion for improving patient care, and an interest in audit and research who will maintain our commitment to the trust's core values would be highly encouraged to join our team who have had work widely presented and are steadily gaining recognition for delivering a high standard of innovative, holistic patient care.

About us
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist clinical pharmacy input into the secondary prevention of ASCVD for Gateshead patients who have undergone the following CVD events:
• Myocardial infarction
• Revascularisation for peripheral vascular disease
• Ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack

To triage referrals for secondary prevention of ASCVD, ensuring relevant tests and information are available in advance of the MDT.

To work closely as part of the MDT alongside cardiology, endocrinology, stroke, renal and vascular teams to discuss referrals, generate treatment plans and escalate patients who require specialist input e.g. familial hypercholesterolemia.

Contribute to clinics to assess, treat and monitor patients for secondary prevention of ASCVD. This will include new patient clinics and follow up clinics where you will prescribe guideline based medication, ensure patients receive appropriate counselling and monitoring and communicate treatment plans with primary care.

You will work collaboratively with the patient, the MDT and primary care to offer a patient centred approach to treatment options.

You will provide education to patients, pharmacy, nursing and medical colleagues regarding lipid management and secondary prevention.

You will have the opportunity due to the innovative nature of the post to partake in regional and national research. With the possibility of sharing research in peer reviewed publications, via conferences and presentations and networking with other lipid optimisation teams.

You will have opportunities to participate in clinical trials including commercial trials undertaken by the consultant members in the MDT.

You will have opportunity to participate within regional network to support regional primary care teams with lipid management.

You will support the inpatient clinical pharmacy team with clinical sessions on the wards or within the dispensary.

Work to deliver the 7 day clinical Pharmacy service and support the late night, on call and weekend rota.

As a senior member of the team you will support students, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by providing clinical supervision and education

You will provide leadership and management within the pharmacy team

Qualifications
Essential

• Masters degree in Pharmacy
• Registered as a pharmacist with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience
• Independent Prescriber

Experience
Essential

• Experience of leadership
• Experience with patient consultations
• Involvement in projects/audit and ability to use data collection to demonstrate outcomes

Desirable

• Previous clinical experience with lipid management/endocrinology
• Previous experience of leading project development and management
• Previous hospital experience

Knowledge and skills
Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent consultation skills
• Specialist knowledge of Pharmacy systems
• Evidence of self-reflection and continuous professional development
• IT literate

Desirable

• Advanced Clinical Skills or desire to work towards
• Evidence of innovative practice

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.

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.