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Job summary

Main area
Corporate
Grade
Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
242-4735-LR
Employer
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Medicines Supply Hub
Town
Preston
Salary
£47,810 - £54,710 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
20/07/2025 23:59

Employer heading

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust logo

Pharmacy & Medicines Digital Lead

Band 7

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our minimum selection criteria at each stage of the selection process. We will not tolerate discrimination on any of the following: gender, marital status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion, age, disability, working pattern, caring responsibilities trade union activity or political beliefs-or any other grounds.

The Trust is currently under-represented in terms of staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. We encourage applications from all backgrounds to improve the diversity of our workforce and to better reflect the communities we serve to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place; every time. 

The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.

Due to the volume of applications received for our advertisements, we will only contact those candidates shortlisted for interview via email; we aim to do this within 4 weeks of the closing date. If you do not receive the email, it will be that you have not been shortlisting on this occasion. When applying for this position, it is essential that you read the job description and person specification fully. Please use the supporting information space to demonstrate your ability to undertake this role, drawing on your skills, knowledge and experience.

We also offers a range of excellent benefits including a pension scheme, up to 33 days Annual leave (exclusive of bank holidays), training and development opportunities, access to NHS discounts, Car Lease Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme, NHS Mortgages and Childcare Vouchers.

 

Job overview

Join our team in an exciting new role of Pharmacy and Medicines Digital Lead

Location: Preston

Band: 7 AFC
Contract Type: Permanent, secondment considered  

Hours of work:  Monday to Friday.  Full-time hours preferred but part time will be considered for the right candidate.

NWAS is on an exciting trajectory of investment in digital systems to support safe and effective use of medicines and provide the oversight and governance required.  We need someone to join the team who has vision, drive and ambition to lead digital technology to support medicines optimisation.  Being the digital lead for medicines you will not only be the lead for digital pharmacy systems and projects that evolve from innovation, but you will provide the support for maintaining systems. You will be instrumental in helping to shape the future of digital medicines management across the Trust.

The NWAS Medicines Supply Hub is based in Preston and supplies medicines for over 50 ambulance stations, including two air ambulance bases and two hazardous area response teams, and over 600 vehicles.  The Medicines Team consists of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and medicines assistants. 

Main duties of the job

As the Pharmacy and Medicines Digital Lead, you will:

  • Implement, lead and manage all medicines-related digital systems (for example:  stock management, controlled drug registers, temperature monitoring systems).
  • Support the Chief Pharmacist in aligning digital systems with Trust and NHS strategies.
  • Provide business intelligence and operational support to optimise medicines use and safety.
  • Drive innovation through digital transformation, quality improvement and sustainability initiatives.
  • Lead on procurement, governance, and training related to digital medicines systems.

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking a GPhC-registered pharmacy professional or a candidate with a degree in a computer-related discipline and demonstrable experience in pharmacy digital systems. You should also have:

  • Strong IT and analytical skills
  • Experience in pharmacy operations and medicines procurement
  • Excellent communication and leadership abilities
  • A passion for digital innovation and excellent understanding of patient safety
  • A valid driving licence and willingness to travel across the North West on occasion for any meetings or training that are not at the Preston base.   

Working for our organisation

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport.

Our highly skilled staff provide life-saving care to patients in the community and take people to hospital or a place of care if needed.
We also provide non-emergency patient transport services for those patients who require non-emergency transport to and from hospital and who are unable to travel unaided because of their medical condition or clinical need.

Alongside the other emergency services, we also work to ensure the safety of the public and treatment of patients in the event of a major incident.

We also deliver the NHS 111 service in the North West. NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct in 2013. This service was introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. It provides non-emergency medical help fast, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please ensure you have read the full Job Description and Person Specification before applying for this role.

The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.

Interviews will be held on 12th August 2025

Person specification

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Experience working within a pharmacy team
  • Excellent IT skills, including pharmacy stock management systems and Microsoft applications
  • Excellent written communication skills utilising a diverse range of tools and understanding the plain English principles
  • Education and training skills
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and deal with situations in a sensitive and empathic manner
  • Experience in the application of HR processes
  • Demonstrable experience of line management responsibilities

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • GPhC-registered Pharmacy Professional AND Demonstrable experience of working with healthcare IT systems in a support, design or configuration role with significant experience in working within a pharmacy team
  • OR Degree in a computer related discipline with skills and/or competencies typically gained during the performance of an IT support role AND Experience of working in a complex pharmacy organisation (eg: ambulance service or hospital) with responsibilities for the maintenance of pharmacy digital stock management systems and/or responsibilities for stock procurement and maintenance of drug catalogues

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge of Health and Safety at Work Act and COSHH
  • Knowledge of project management principles

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Extensive experience of working with medicines/pharmacy
  • Experience and knowledge of medicines procurement
  • Experience of writing procedures

Values

Essential criteria
  • Commitment to continuing professional development of self and others

Values

Essential criteria
  • Able to motivate others and engage them in the medicines optimisation agenda
  • Working together – demonstrate collaborative and inclusive working and challenge behaviour that is not inclusive or acceptable

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Understanding of the importance of robust change control and evidence of being able to follow strict instructions
  • Analytical skills in data extraction, data analysis and report writing
  • Ability to communicate complex system and technical issues to a variety of staff at different levels within the organisation
  • Awareness of NHS governance frameworks, data protection regulations (GDPR), and information governance requirements
  • Excellent oral communication skills with a wide range of audiences
  • A self-starter with the ability to work independently using own initiative and to tight deadlines
  • Ability to lead and co-ordinate a complex workload
  • Clinical audit and evaluation and quality improvement skills
  • Ability to review complex information and interpret it for the given situation
  • Able to communicate across wide demographic boundaries in an appropriate manner with tact and diplomacy
  • Strong management, motivational and leadership skills
  • Respects and applies patient confidentiality at all times
  • Able to operate all equipment safely and in accordance with Trust policy, procedures and protocols
  • Good literacy and numeracy skills
  • Problem solving
  • Methodical
  • Organised and able to manage time and priorities
  • Demonstrable compassionate and inclusive leadership

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Good clinical knowledge of medicines
  • Good knowledge of the risks of medicines and how they can be minimised
  • Knowledge of the principles of GDP and GMP and willing to undertake further study on this

Values

Essential criteria
  • Hard working and highly motivated
  • Trustworthy
  • Flexible approach to working
  • Project a professional image
  • Enthusiasm for the role
  • Ability to maintain a professional image and follow the General Pharmaceutical Council professional guidelines
  • Self motivated
  • Good time management
  • Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to the role, ie: with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation
  • Being at our best – professional and adaptable and takes pride in work
  • Making a difference – act with compassion, kindness and integrity towards everyone

Other

Essential criteria
  • Valid driving licence and use of own vehicle and willingness to travel around NW of England area
  • Satisfactory enhanced DBS

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Trust IDVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.The Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.Race at WorkDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldApprenticeships Top 100 Employers 2024ENEI 2024 Gold

Applicant requirements

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Rachael Fallon
Job title
Chief Pharmacist
Email address
[email protected]
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