Job Advert
Location – National Distribution Centre, Larkhall or Gyle Square, Edinburgh
A unique opportunity has arisen for a pharmacist to join the National Procurement pharmacy team to lead on the provision of pharmaceutical advice to the Scottish Government Health Resilience Unit, co-ordinate national pharmaceutical stockpiles (countermeasures for pandemics and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents) and support NHS Boards' plans to improve and protect the health of the population in the event of a major incident.
The post holder will act as the Responsible Person (RP) for the NSS National Procurement Wholesale Distribution Authorisation (WDA) (Gyle site) and be responsible for legal compliance and regulatory affairs relating to the Home Office Controlled Drugs Licence. Under these authorisations, NSS centrally purchases medicines for distribution via contracted pharmaceutical wholesalers. Whilst previous experience of being an RP is desirable, training and support will be available to the post-holder to support application to the MHRA for acceptance in this role.
The post-holder will also act as National Procurement’s lead on medicines pricing agreements in the primary care setting including overall responsibility for the delivery of the NHS Scotland Primary Care Rebate Scheme Review Service. The role will involve negotiation with manufacturers.
The post-holder should be a strategic thinker and problem solver, be commercially aware, have excellent influencing skills and attention to detail, effective team working skills and practical experience of facilitating change.
National Procurement has offices in Edinburgh (Gyle Square) and in Larkhall (National Distribution Centre), and remote working is an option as the organisation moves to a digital first approach with hybrid ways of working. There is a requirement for monthly travel to sites within Scotland and occasional travel within the UK.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo a PVG Scheme Disclosure/Disclosure Scotland check and Scottish Government baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) clearance.
Candidates must have current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a pharmacist on the practice register.
Any candidate who has lived/worked overseas for more than 12 months in the preceding 5 years will also be required to provide a criminal record check from the appropriate overseas agency.
Our benefits package includes pension scheme, comprehensive range of work life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits.
If you’ve never considered a role like this before, why not explore it and see if it might be for you?
For an informal discussion, please contact Lindsay McClure (07717 468776).
Further information on NSS is available from: https://www.nss.nhs.scot/
Closing date for completed applications is the 6th May 2022
Please note that the majority of correspondence is sent by e-mail only, so please check your e-mail regularly (including junk folders).
NHS National Services Scotland is an equal opportunities employer and as committed participant in the disability confident scheme, guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies