Job summary

Band 8A Lead Pharmacist for Children's Services

We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced and motivated pharmacist to join our team asLead Pharmacist for Children's Services.

This is a varied senior clinical leadership role with the opportunity to make a real impact across paediatric services. You will provide specialist pharmacy leadership, support the safe delivery and governance of paediatric chemotherapy, and work closely with multidisciplinary teams to continuously improve medicines optimisation and patient care.

The role will also contribute to medicines governance and service reviews across Women's Services, providing an opportunity to influence quality and safety across the wider Women's and Children's portfolio.

We are looking for someone with strong clinical skills, a passion for paediatric pharmacy and the confidence to lead, develop others and drive service improvement.

If you are ready for your next leadership challenge and would like to help shape the future of pharmacy services for children and families, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

To lead and develop the Paediatric Pharmacy services at Royal Berkshire Hospital, including the Neonatal Care Unit and Special Care Baby Unit

To act as a clinical pharmacy leader in the field of Children's Services.

To provide leadership and training to junior team members, rotating through these clinical areas and support the wider pharmacy department with any Paediatric issues.

To support the wider MDT with any Medicines Management activities and any medication related enquiries.

To act as a senior member of the wider Pharmacy department.

To support implementation of any national or regional medicines management activities (audits, CQC recommendations).

To support the safe and cost-effective use of medications within Paediatrics.

To work collaboratively with patients and their families to help them obtain the most benefit from their medications.

To support the education and training of undergraduate pharmacy students, pharmacy staff and the wider MDT with lead pharmacist for Education, Training and Workforce development.

To provide support with pharmacy related governance issues within Women's Service as requested.

About us

Reading sits on the river Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.

The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.

Our Trust "CARE" values:Compassionate,Aspirational,Resourceful,Excellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.

Details

Date posted

07 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

193-8263886NCG

Job locations

Royal Berkshire Hospital

London Road

Reading

RG1 5AN

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the job role.

Job description Job responsibilities Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the job role.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Master Degree in Pharmacy
• Member of GPhC
• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy
• Independent Prescriber

Desirable

• Member of UKCPA
• Member of NPPG
• Postgraduate qualification in leadership , eg, MBA or Level 5/6 Senior Leadership
• Educational Supervisor Certificate/Diploma

Knowledge and Expereince

Essential

• Extensive Hospital Pharmacy Experience
• Experience in working as IP in MDT context
• Experience in paediatrcs and neonates in hospital setting
• Experience of contributing to service development, quality improvement, or implementation of change
• Ability to supervise, support and develop junior staff
• Experience in writting clinical guidelines
• Experience in line management
• Experience of finance management of medicines expenditure within healthcare

Desirable

• Experience of supporting the safe provision of chemotherapy to paediatric patients.
• Understanding of how digital tool can improve clinical practice
• Ability to evaluate and to plan service developments and to articulate their role in this process
• Experience of involvement in research, audit, or practice-based publication

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Advanced clinical reasoning
• Ability to influence prescribing and negotiate
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and to prioritise under pressure
• Excellent communication skills

Desirable

• Contributes positively to team culture, supporting colleagues and promoting a learning environment
• Ability to articulate their own leadership style
• Able to set realistic goals and outcomes and use these to motivate themselves and their team

Person Specification Qualifications and Training Essential Master Degree in Pharmacy Member of GPhC Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Independent Prescriber Desirable Member of UKCPA Member of NPPG Postgraduate qualification in leadership , eg, MBA or Level 5/6 Senior Leadership Educational Supervisor Certificate/Diploma Knowledge and Expereince Essential Extensive Hospital Pharmacy Experience Experience in working as IP in MDT context Experience in paediatrcs and neonates in hospital setting Experience of contributing to service development, quality improvement, or implementation of change Ability to supervise, support and develop junior staff Experience in writting clinical guidelines Experience in line management Experience of finance management of medicines expenditure within healthcare Desirable Experience of supporting the safe provision of chemotherapy to paediatric patients. Understanding of how digital tool can improve clinical practice Ability to evaluate and to plan service developments and to articulate their role in this process Experience of involvement in research, audit, or practice-based publication Skills and abilities Essential Advanced clinical reasoning Ability to influence prescribing and negotiate Excellent attention to detail Ability to work independently and to prioritise under pressure Excellent communication skills Desirable Contributes positively to team culture, supporting colleagues and promoting a learning environment Ability to articulate their own leadership style Able to set realistic goals and outcomes and use these to motivate themselves and their team

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire Hospital

London Road

Reading

RG1 5AN

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire Hospital

London Road

Reading

RG1 5AN

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)