Job overview

This post is a unique opportunity for a highly motivated, enthusiastic, experienced pharmacist with strategic vision, drive and excellent leadership skills.  

This role combines strategic oversight of medicines governance with operational leadership in formulary management, ensuring safe, effective, evidence-based and cost-effective use of medicines across the trust and the population we serve. 

Applicants will have excellent communication skills, an ability to manage complex relationships across multiple organisations and be able to demonstrable a high level of work in expert practice, research, education and professional leadership.

Main duties of the job

The Associate Chief Pharmacist, Formulary and Governance will provide strategic leadership and management to the formulary, risk and governance teams. They will be accountable for key Trust policies relating to medicines use including the Medicines Policy. The post holder will be responsible for review and update of prescribing guidance and the Trust Formulary to promote safe, clinically effective and cost efficient prescribing. This will involve collaboration and co-ordination across the sector, including development and maintenance of interface pathways and guidance to ensure consistent prescribing and swift resolution of interface issues between primary and secondary care. The post holder will develop and implement pharmacy governance frameworks, driving continued improvements in clinical safety, regulatory compliance and quality assurance. In addition, they will embed a culture of accountability, learning and excellence in medicines optimisation working in partnership with multidisciplinary teams, senior pharmacy leaders and external regulatory bodies to ensure that governance processes are robust, transparent, and aligned with national standards and local priorities. The post holder will lead and support Trust wide executive quality visits, co-ordinate clinical audits including safe and secure handling of medicines and produce Trust level reports and actions plans to drive continuous improvement.

Working for our organisation

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.