Employer NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board Employer type NHS Site NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Headquarters (with travel across Cheshire and Merseyside) Town Warrington Salary £49,387 – £56,515 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 27/10/2026 23:59
NHS AfC: Band 7
An exciting opportunity has arisen to be part of the changing shape of NHS commissioning in Cheshire and Merseyside. Our current organisational structure supports effective working both locally and across Cheshire and Merseyside as we develop as an Integrated Care System.
The population of Cheshire and Merseyside is diverse and growing and we are keen to see that diversity recognised within our own workforce. As an employer we seek to open opportunities for our staff to gain new skills, gain knowledge and develop careers in heath and care.
We welcome students, staff, people of all races, religions, genders, sexual orientation, physical abilities, backgrounds, and philosophies and those who are accepting of others. Our goal is to support all of our workforce in their work, if you believe you can bring your skills and experiences and an open-minded approach into our fast paced and dynamic organisation, we are committed to providing a positive and supportive experience for all of our staff.
Job overview
Work collaboratively with colleagues within the Medicines Optimisation Team to provide specialist clinical pharmacist support for delivery of the ICB’s medicines optimisation priorities. The role will take responsibility for defined areas of work, supporting safe, effective, equitable and cost-effective use of medicines across the system.
This position will lead and support defined medicines optimisation projects and service improvement activities, working with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and wider colleagues to implement agreed priorities, standards and guidance.
This position will undertake patient ‑ facing and patient ‑ supporting activities to promote effective medicines use, including engaging in shared decision ‑ making conversations with patients, carers and healthcare professionals where appropriate. Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.
The postholder will take responsibility for defined clinical, governance and transformation workstreams, supporting decision-making, escalating risks and providing specialist pharmaceutical input to pathways and commissioned services.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will need to build and maintain constructive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to:
Internal ICB staff including managers, colleagues, and senior management as appropriate
ICS partners, including portfolio leads, Local Authorities and Provider Collaboratives
Non-NHS organisations
Members of the public and service users as appropriate
Matrix work across all other teams to address interdependencies and ensure alignment of mutual objectives.
External consultancy, as required.
Working for our organisation
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside serves a population of over 2.7 million people across nine localities, working with 16 NHS provider organisations, 51 Primary Care Networks, local authorities and voluntary sector partners.
We are proud of Cheshire and Merseyside’s record of collaborative working and there are countless examples of brilliant care, but there are also examples of variation in service which only serve to exacerbate health inequalities.
Our vision is for everyone in Cheshire and Merseyside to have a great start in life and get the support they need to stay healthy and live longer.
We will do this by working together, as equal partners, to support seamless, person-centred care and tackle health inequalities by improving the lives of the poorest fastest.
Our values are rooted in the NHS Constitution, and we strive to create a compassionate, collaborative and innovative culture where staff can thrive and make a real difference to local communities.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Work autonomously and provide specialist pharmacist input to support safe, effective and cost-effective medicines use in line with ICB priorities.
- Provide specialist clinical advice and support to GP practices, care homes, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and wider system colleagues.
Managerial
- Contribute to the development, implementation and review of standard operating procedures, policies and protocols.
- Support implementation of evidence-based medicines optimisation policies , APG recommendations and national guidance (e.g. NICE).
- Manage staff performance, including appraisal, training, development, recruitment and absence optimisation, where required.
- Plan and prioritise workload to balance organisational, national and regional medicines optimisation priorities, escalating conflicts or delivery risks where required.
- Lead defined service improvement activities and support implementation of new ways of working within medicines optimisation.
- Undertake lone working in accordance with ICB lone working policies where required.
- Undertake any other duties consistent with the grade and scope of the role.
- Work independently, planning and prioritising workload to deliver an effective service.
- Promote and support implementation of national and local medicines related policies and NICE guidance.
- Support management of prescribing budgets and delivery of medicines optimisation priorities.
- Lead medicines optimisation policy implementation and service development within assigned GP practices.
- Influence and support healthcare professionals to improve medicines use, resolve medicines-related issues and escalating complex clinical or governance concerns appropriately.
- Lead on defined clinical issues or projects as agreed with the Head of Medicines Optimisation.
- Support the work of other Medicines Optimisation colleagues.
- Contribute to system-level decision‑making within agreed areas of responsibility and support implementation of agreed actions through established governance routes.
Leadership
- Implement medicines optimisation plans in GP practices and other care settings in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams
- Provide accountable specialist pharmacist advice and education on prescribing and medicines optimisation to healthcare professionals, patients and carers, supporting pharmacists and pharmacy technicians where appropriate.
Clinical/Technical
- Work independently, planning and prioritising workload to deliver an effective service.
- Promote and support implementation of national and local medicines related policies and NICE guidance.
- Support management of prescribing budgets and delivery of medicines optimisation priorities.
- Support medicines optimisation policy implementation and service development within assigned GP practices.
- Contribute to APG subgroups and processes as required, including supporting the development and implementation of APG recommendations within defined areas of responsibility.Influence and support healthcare professionals to improve medicines use and resolve medicines related issues, including direct patient intervention where required.
- Lead on defined clinical issues or projects as agreed with the Head of Medicines Optimisation.
- Support the work of other Medicines Optimisation colleague
Please see job description for the comprehensive list of the role’s responsibilities and the personal specification.
Person specification
Knowledge, Training and Experience
- Educated to master’s level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
- Master’s degree in Pharmacy (four years) plus one year foundation training with successful completion, or a pharmacy degree qualification and associated pre‑registration or foundation training requirements applicable at the time of qualification.
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacist.
- Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent e.g. CPPE Pathway completion or being undertaken
- Comprehensive knowledge of project principles, techniques, and tools, such as Prince 2 Foundation and Microsoft Project
Skills
- Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
- Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders
- Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium, and long‑term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
- Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct activities of others.
- Experience of supporting and motivating colleagues, allocating work where required and maintaining effective relationships with a range of stakeholders.
EDI
- Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day‑to‑day working practices, but also in relation to management systems in the area.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Name Aisling McArdle Job title Lead Pharmacist Email address Aisling.McArdle@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk
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