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Lead Pharmacist
HIV Services
NHS Lothian Pharmacy & Medicines Service
Western General Hospital
Band 8A | Up to 1.0 WTE | Up to 36 Hours | Permanent
£65,125 - £70,303 per annum
(with weekend and public holiday working)
Are you a forward-thinking pharmacist keen to apply your excellent clinical knowledge and skills in a highly patient focused specialist area? Then look no further than this opportunity to work as part of the Chalmers HIV and Gender Identity Clinic team; both truly supportive and welcoming multidisciplinary teams that highly value the input of pharmacy.
This post offers the opportunity to work in the specialist areas of HIV and Gender services, supporting the delivery of highly specialised outpatient services. This position is based at the Western General Hospital and Chalmers Sexual Health Centre. This opening has arisen due to the post holder being successful on a promotion.
About the Role
The main duties of this role, in addition to some regular technical and education and training commitments include:
- Leadership for the Chalmers HIV pharmacy service to provide high quality care to patients with complex medicines as well as ensuring they receive a sustained supply of medicines from the Chalmers/Lauriston/PAEP Dispensary or via Homecare services.
- Clinical input to the Gender service in partnership with the Lead Pharmacist for Sexual Health.
- Collaborate closely with the highly supportive HIV and Gender multidisciplinary teams providing specialist pharmacist input and also advice on medicines governance as well as treatment pathway/protocol development.
- Manage the high-cost medicines budgets for NHS Lothian HIV medicines, working closely with the wider clinical, service and finance teams to maximise use of resources and deliver cost efficiencies.
Why Join Us?
This is a unique opportunity to experience working in two specialist outpatient teams with the support of the pharmacy team in the Regional Infectious Disease Unit. The pharmacy service is well established in this multidisciplinary teams. You’ll have the chance to work on:
- Service development projects aimed at improving patient care, modernising service delivery and workforce development
- A wide variety of clinical experiences including undertaking independent pharmacist-led clinics, all supported by robust training and development opportunities.
About you
To excel in this role, you will need:
Essential Qualifications and Competencies
- A Master of Pharmacy Degree (or equivalent).
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
- An Independent Prescribing Qualification.
- Candidates must have a Master of Pharmacy Degree or equivalent, be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), and should have completed Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma or Masters of Science (MSc) in Clinical Pharmacy or be able to demonstrate competence to the level of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Core Advanced Curriculum.
- Candidates who have not completed a Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma or MSc in Clinical Pharmacy must demonstrate substantial progress across the four pillars of the RPS Core Advanced Pharmacist Curriculum through:
- Engagement with the RPS Core Advanced Curriculum
- Active participation in a community of practice/peer network
- Submit a screenshot of portfolio (programme of learning page)
- Complete the RPS learning needs analysis tool to assess progress with the Core Advanced Curriculum and any gaps that will need addressed as part of PDP plans
- Candidates who have completed a Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma or MSc in Clinical Pharmacy should complete the learning needs analysis (LNA) using the LNA tool in the RPS e-portfolio, identifying any gaps that will need addressed as part of PDP plans.
Experience and Knowledge
- A commitment to improving patient care through pro-active, evidence-based pharmaceutical services.
- Experience in influencing prescribing practices and working in a patient-focused environment.
About NHS Lothian
NHS Lothian is the second-largest health system in Scotland, covering Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, and West Lothian. Our Pharmacy & Medicines Service is driven by a commitment to clinically led, person-centred care, ensuring every patient benefits from safe, effective, and efficient pharmaceutical services.
We foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and professional development, making NHS Lothian an exciting place to work and grow your career.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
For further information on what is included in the role and the skills/experience we’re looking for, please refer to the job description and person specification linked below. However, we understand that there's only so much a job pack can convey. We warmly encourage you to get in touch with the hiring manager. This is a great chance to have an informal discussion, ask questions, and explore how this role aligns with your career goals. Part-time and flexible working will be considered.
Reach out to Elspeth Boxall, Lead Pharmacist Chalmers HIV (existing post holder), email: Elspeth.boxall2@nhs.scot or telephone 0131 536 1606
or
Jin Hah, Site Lead Pharmacist WGH/SCAN, email: jinwerne.hah@nhs.scot or telephone 0131 537 1206 to start the conversation—we’d love to hear from you!
To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.
Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.
We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.