Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed Term)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Late shifts, weekends, bank holiday cover)
- Job ref
- 193-7878683NCG
- Employer
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Berkshire Hospital
- Town
- Reading
- Salary
- £57,528 - £64,750 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 26/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Lead Pharmacist - Cancer Services (Clinical Trials) - F/T 12 Months
NHS AfC: Band 8a
At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”
Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated ‘Good’ with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements. The Trust’s overall rating has also improved to ‘good’.
We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions
We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate
We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live
We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice
At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, we value candidates who bring their unique personalities, skills, and experiences to the Trust. When completing your application, we encourage you to highlight your individual achievements and strengths, showing us how they align with the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification. While we recognise that some applicants may use AI tools during the process, please be mindful that AI-generated responses can often lack the personal detail and relevance needed to demonstrate your suitability for the role. AI generated content is discouraged by the Trust and may diminish the candidates chances of success.
Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us. We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.
Please note: all vacancies automatically close when 50 applications have been received.
Job overview
Band 8A Lead Pharmacist - Cancer Services (Clinical Trials) - Fixed Term 12 Months.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Clinical Cancer Pharmacy Team supporting clinical trials in oncology and haematology.
This role is ideal for an enthusiastic and experienced pharmacist who is keen to contribute to the delivery of high quality cancer research and help improve access to new and innovative treatments for patients.
The post holder will play a key role in the pharmacy set-up and delivery of clinical trials, working closely with pharmacy, research, and clinical teams to support safe, efficient, and timely trial activity.
This is an excellent opportunity to develop specialist expertise while contributing to a growing area of service development within cancer pharmacy.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will provide specialist pharmacy leadership for oncology and haematology clinical trials, supporting the safe and timely set-up, activation, and delivery of cancer studies. They will undertake protocol review, feasibility assessment, pharmacy risk assessment, and development of study-specific pharmacy processes. The postholder will also provide senior clinical input into the screening and validation of clinical trial prescriptions, systemic anticancer therapy, and associated supportive medicines.
The role will support safe prescribing, dispensing, preparation, and supply of investigational and cancer medicines, including trials involving aseptic preparation and complex treatment pathways. The postholder will lead on Good Clinical Practice within cancer pharmacy, including staff training, competency development, SOP review, governance support, and inspection readiness.
In addition, the postholder will contribute to the wider clinical cancer pharmacy service through SACT validation, medicines advice, multidisciplinary working, service development, audit, and quality improvement. They will act as a senior professional resource for cancer services, helping strengthen research delivery while also supporting safe, effective, and well-led cancer pharmacy practice.
Working for our organisation
Reading sits on the river Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.
The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.
Our "CARE" values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Resourceful, Excellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the job role - please note the essential and desirable criteria for this role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GPhC registration
- Clinical Diploma or Equivalent
- Independent Prescriber
Desirable criteria
- Advanced Clinical Practitioner
- Accredited Diploma Tutor
- Formal Management qualification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Substantial Hospital experience
- Experience in working in multidisciplinary team
- Experience supporting service development, clinical governance or quality improvement
- Experience in managing staff
- Experience in supporting trainees
- Previous Cancer Experience including validation of SACT
- Previous clinical trials experience
- Experience delivering against set targets and KPIs
Desirable criteria
- Experience and evidence of service development
- Experience in research
- Experience in management of safety incidents
- GCP training
- Previous role in clinics
Applicant requirements
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Grant Sugiura
- Job title
- Associate Chief Pharmacist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0118 322 7800
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