Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 432-HR443-25
- Employer
- East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Colchester / Ipswich Hospital
- Town
- Colchester
- Salary
- £53,755 - £60,504 per annum Weekend working and On-call required
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Lead Pharmacist - Clinical Trials
NHS AfC: Band 8a
We are one of the largest NHS organisation in England. Our scale provides exciting opportunities for development, innovation, research, education and training.
Talk to us about our range of flexible working opportunities, apprenticeships and staff benefits
Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of all we do; and it forms part of the ESNEFT’s core activities. The Trust operates and relies on everyone treating each other with dignity and respect, to receive equitable and fair treatment in the implementation of Policies, Procedures and in its Practices, to foster positive work relationships, and finally to act with integrity as a professional within ESNEFT as well as a representative of the NHS as a whole. The EDI Agenda reflects the Trust values such as Optimistic, Appreciative and Kind. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, People Plan, People Promise and a Model Employer intrinsic in the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Agenda, we consistently strive to improve, to take the learning into Action for a better ESNEFT.
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge then we are keen to hear from you.
Job overview
A fantastic opportunity has emerged for a passionate, highly motivated, and dynamic R&D Lead Oncology/Haematology Clinical Trials Pharmacist, to join the Research and Development Unit at the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.
Our service is built around providing a high-quality service to our patients and staff of the Trust. ESNEFT holds a MS License for the manufacture of Specials as well as MIA (IMP) for manufacturing Investigational Medicinal Products for Clinical Trials.
This position will be based either at Ipswich Hospital or Colchester Hospital, with the expectation to provide cross-site coverage to ensure consistent service delivery and maintain the quality of service.
Applicants should have previous experience in clinical trials and oncology or haematology -oncology. You will be part of a dynamic team consisting of research focused Chief Investigators, Principal Investigators, Consultants, AHPs pharmacy and dedicated Research and Development team, who are always striving for excellence in the quality of our work.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work flexibly, contributing their expertise to cutting-edge pharmaceutical research developments.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide leadership in the provision of Specialist Clinical Trials Pharmacy Services to patients within the Oncology & Haematology and act as a point of contact for all R&D related pharmacy activities at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust. In addition will provide a specialised clinical pharmacy service to oncology and haematology patients The post holder will work closely with senior Research and Development (R&D) colleagues and the multidisciplinary team within the cancer units, to ensure the provision of an integrated and efficient pharmacy service.
The post holder will provide expert, high quality pharmaceutical care to patients on clinical trials and will be pivotal in ensuring that all approved clinical pharmacy and financial Key Performance Indicators are consistently achieved
The post is extremely patient focussed, the post holder’s time will be spent carrying out clinical trials activities and working within the pharmacy service. Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills are required to ensure that all required management and governance activity is carried out to a high standard.
Working for our organisation
We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes
We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff
We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options
Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services
Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients
We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you
Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Previous extensive hospital experience inclusive of Clinical Pharmacy practice
- Previous clinical pharmacy experience of oncology and haematology patients
- Previous experience working as a releasing pharmacist of Clinical Trials items in an Aseptics Unit
- Experience of clinical trials
- Dealing with high risk medicines
- Previous experience of educating and training other staff
- Experience of technical as well as clinical aspects of pharmacy
Desirable criteria
- Previous budgetary management experience and drug expenditure monitoring
- Demonstrated experience of change management
- Knowledge of Primary Care working
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GPhC Registered
- Masters Degree plus Pre-registration training
- Certificated training in Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
- Appropriate post graduate qualification (ie Clinical Pharmacy Practice or Pharmaceutical Technology)
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Computer Literacy
- Medicines Management
- Good knowledge of Education and Training tools and processes
- Good all-round clinical knowledge in other areas and practical skills
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of the National Tariff and processes involved in the funding of high-cost medicines
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Frances Farnworth
- Job title
- Assistant Director of Research and Development
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Lok Lui Deputy Head of Pharmacy Quality Assurance [email protected]
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