Lead Pharmacist - EPMALocation: Southmead Hospital, Bristol
Salary: £66,582 to £77,368 a year per annum, pro rata for part time roles
Pay scheme: Agenda for change, Band 8b
Contract: Fixed term, 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 339-CCS6076-DAC
Closing date: 17 August 2026
Date posted: 03 August 2026
Job summaryLead Pharmacist Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) - Band 8B (Fixed Term - 12 Months)Southmead Hospital (part of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust) has recently implemented EPMA moving into the maintenance and optimisation stage of our journey. We are looking for someone to work at the forefront of EPMA and lead the pharmacy EPMA team. The post holder will need to have strong leadership skills as well as the enthusiasm, vision and negotiation skills to work with stakeholders across the organisation to help further develop this patient safety initiative.
Why applyThis role is a great opportunity to:
- Shape how EPMA evolves at Southmead Hospital.
- Implement innovative ways to improve patient flow and optimise resources.
- Engagement with the digital agenda, especially in the optimisation of dashboards to demonstrate service performance.
- Professional Development - including leadership programmes.
- Great Team - work closely with the divisions, a supportive senior pharmacy structure and specialist pharmacists.
YouWe are looking for candidates with:
- Strong leadership skills
- Ability to motivate staff and develop effective working relationships with key stakeholders.
- Passion to further develop a high-quality service.
- Enthusiasm for service development and innovation
- Management Skills
Main duties of the job- Lead pharmacist for the clinical and strategic development, implementation, optimisation and ongoing clinical governance of EPMA across SHOU, ensuring delivery of a safe, patient-focused, progressive, responsive and efficient digital medicines service.
- Lead the clinical governance, assurance and lifecycle management of EPMA., including system configuration, medicines content, protocols, clinical workflows, safety reviews, risk management, testing and optimisation to ensure the system remains safe, effective and aligned with national standards and best practice.
- Provide strategic leadership for the ongoing development of digital medicines services, working collaboratively with Pharmacy, Clinical Services, Digital teams, suppliers and regional/national networks to support interoperability, innovation and future transformation.
- Represent the Trust at regional and national forums relating to EPMA, digital medicines and medicines safety, contributing to the development of best practice and future strategy.
- Provide leadership, supervision and development of pharmacy staff involved in EPMA delivery, ensuring appropriate expertise, resilience and capability within the service.
- Participate in the provision of clinical pharmacy services to a designated area, maintaining clinical credibility and supporting safe, effective and evidence-based medicines use.
About usBristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.
With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job responsibilitiesFor a full overview of the Job Description, please refer to the PDF Job Description attached as an additional document to this advertLeadership and team management- Provide professional leadership for the EPMA Pharmacy service, acting as the recognised Pharmacy expert for EPMA.
- To represent Pharmacy, and where appropriate the Trust, in all internal and external forums concerning EPMA.
- To establish links with other NHS Trusts and Healthcare organisations around EPMA.
- To be the lead with responsibility for training of Pharmacy staff in the use and application of EPMA.
- Competently lead the change to ensure engagement of all stakeholders.
- To line-manage and develop allocated staff.
- Produce performance reports for the defined areas of responsibility.
- To be responsible for the development, updating and maintenance of the medicines database supporting EPMA.
- To provide the Director of Pharmacy with details of output, performance, and activity at specified time intervals in a format agreed with the Director of Pharmacy.
- To ensure the EPMA system adheres to relevant national/local standards e.g. RPS guidance, information governance, Medicines Act.
- Critically examine working practices within the department to identify cost improvements and effective measures, develop and implement action plans, especially in relation to medicines-related cross-cutting cost saving schemes. This will involve communication with clinicians.
Service development and improvement- Lead pharmacist for the strategic development, implementation, and maintenance of EPMA throughout the Trust to ensure delivery of a safe, patient focused, progressive, responsive, and efficient service.
- Lead on system builds and developments ensuring it meets all legal and practical requirements as well as the necessary digital clinical data capture and business intelligence requirements.
- Ensure robust testing is undertaken of the system with agreed outcomes met before launch and embedded into all maintenance processes.
- Work collaboratively with key stakeholders to ensure that the final delivery of the EPMA system is successful through training, implementation, cutover support, and stabilisation periods.
- Use clinical data capture and business intelligence requirements to support system development.
Person SpecificationEducation/Training/QualificationsEssential- UK GPhC registered Pharmacist
- Clinical diploma or other recognised postgraduate qualification
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable- Qualified Independent Prescriber
- Leadership qualification
- Management qualification
Work ExperienceEssential- UK hospital pharmacy experience
- Experience of managing and leading a team
- Experience of audit and quality systems
- Experience of leading change
- Experience as a specialist practitioner in Pharmacy IT
Knowledge/Skills/AbilitiesEssential- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Able to manage time and prioritise effectively
- Proactive approach to the application of specialist pharmaceutical knowledge in order to enhance patient care
- Ability to successfully develop knowledge in specialist area
- Relevant IT skills to ECDL level or equivalent
- Excellent problem-solving skills
- Ability to manage and motivate staff
- Ability to manage projects and change effectively
- Understand and practice excellent leadership skills
- Demonstrate good negotiating skills
Personal QualitiesEssential- Adaptable and flexible approach to work
- Teaching / tutorial and clinical supervisory skills
- Able to work under own initiative and as part of a team
- Excellent interpersonal skills
Employer detailsBristol NHS Foundation Trust
Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Bristol, BS10 5AN
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact:
Associate Director of Pharmacy Meds Gov & Safety
Colm McKenzie
colm.mckenzie@nbt.nhs.uk
01174142278
Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website. 
