Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed term / secondment until November 2027)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 432-HR690-26
- Employer
- East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Colchester Hospital
- Town
- Colchester
- Salary
- £57,528 - £64,750 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 28/08/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 18/09/2026
Employer heading
Lead Clinical Pharmacist – Critical Care and Theatre Services
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 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
Are you an enthusiastic & experienced pharmacist looking for a career change & your next challenge?
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Clinical Pharmacist to join our modern purpose-built facilities at Colchester Hospital and support and lead the departments clinical pharmacy service within Critical Care and associated specialist areas.
You will be based within the Pharmacy department but will spend a significant amount of time working at ward/clinical level, ensuring the delivery of all aspects of pharmacy service to specialist high-risk patients.
Our friendly pharmacy team are dedicated to nurturing, mentoring and developing our staff to reach their full potential. As well as direct one-to-one training, the department provides pharmacy forums, clinical huddles and other educational activity. We support personal development plans, smart objective setting and opportunities for study.
ESNEFT has embarked on a full, site wide implementation of the EPIC electronic patient record which includes electronic prescribing and administration and pharmacy stock control system replacement.
In addition to our fully automated dispensaries, we host one of the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service medicines advice sites and the Regional Pharmacy Manufacturing Unit.
This post is fixed term / secondment until November 2027 to cover maternity leave. Internal applicants currently employed by ESNEFT will be offered on a secondment basis only.
Main duties of the job
We would consider a Band 7 developmental post where you will receive a competency-based programme to gain the skills required to reach the Band 8a.
Please follow our link to find out more About our Pharmacy Service: https://esneft.pagetiger.com/csusdpr/1
Provide an advanced level clinical pharmacy service to Critical Care patients in line with the pharmacy Key Performance Indicators and agreed clinical standards.
Provide oversite and clinical expertise to patients within Recovery and Theatre areas.
Support the wider Nutrition Service affecting patients within the speciality
Provide a key level of support to the Principal Divisional Clinical for Surgery and Critical Pharmacist.
Provide ongoing clinical support and leadership to other pharmacy colleagues and the multidisciplinary team contributing to practice within the specific areas of working.
Assist senior multidisciplinary colleagues in ensuring that all required medication safety and clinical governance issues are actioned and implemented in a timely manner within the respected specialities.
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
- Demonstrated experience of multi-disciplinary working
- Handling of high risk medicines
- Previous experience of educating and training other staff
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of working with Critical Care patients
- Previous experience of working with Total Parenteral Nutrition
- Experience of writing guidelines and procedures
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GPhC Registered
- Masters Degree plus Pre-registration training
- Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or clinical equivalent
- Evidence of, and commitment to, Continuing Professional Development
Desirable criteria
- Non-Medical Prescribing qualification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Medicines Management / optimisation
- Basic clinical knowledge of issues relevant to Critical Care and Nutrition patients gained through training & experience
- Good all-round clinical knowledge in other areas and practical skills
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of governance frameworks and Risk Management
- Basic understanding of clinical issues relating to theatre practice
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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
- Sayful Choudhury
- Job title
- Principal Pharmacist for Surgery
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01206 745985
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
-
Colchester General Hospital
- Telephone
- 07789651269
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