Job summaryAre you a senior pharmacist with a passion for medicines safety, clinical effectiveness and quality improvement?
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is seeking a Clinical Effectiveness Pharmacist and Medication Safety Officer (MSO) to provide strategic leadership for medicines safety, governance, formulary management and quality improvement across mental health, learning disability and community services.
As the Trust's MSO, you will lead medication safety initiatives, coordinate responses to MHRA Drug Safety Updates, medicines recalls and National Patient Safety Alerts, support learning from incidents, and promote the safe and effective use of medicines.
Working closely with the Chief Pharmacist, senior leaders, clinicians, the Central East ICB and external partners, you will drive medicines optimisation, support regulatory compliance and ensure practice is aligned with national guidance and evidence-based care.
We are looking for a GPhC-registered pharmacist with significant post-registration experience, strong leadership skills, and expertise in medicines safety, governance and service improvement. Experience as an MSO, involvement in POMH-UK audits, digital prescribing systems or quality improvement programmes would be advantageous.
Join us and help make medicines safer and more effective for the people we serve. Please note the advert may close early if sufficient number of applications received.
Main duties of the jobKey responsibilities include:
- Acting as the Trust's Medication Safety Officer and leading medicines safety programmes.
- Leading the implementation and assurance of medicines-related MHRA Drug Safety Updates, medicines recalls and National Patient Safety Alerts.
- Providing strategic leadership for medicines governance, clinical effectiveness and medicines optimisation.
- Leading the development and governance of the Trust Medicines Formulary.
- Supporting implementation of NICE guidance and evidence-based practice.
- Leading audit, quality improvement and service development programmes.
- Supporting safe optimisation of electronic prescribing and medicines administration (EPMA) systems.
- Leading investigations into significant medication incidents and supporting organisational learning.
- Representing HPFT on regional and system-wide medicines optimisation, safety and clinical effectiveness groups.
- Providing leadership, support and professional development to pharmacy staff.
About usHertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission.
Our family of over 4,500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
DetailsDate posted: 07 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8b
Salary: £68,852 to £79,638 a year per annum, pro rata (5% HCAS Included)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 367-CORP-101502
Job locations: Pharmacy, Kingfisher Court, Kingsley Green, Harper Lane, Radlett, WD7 9FB, United Kingdom
Job descriptionJob responsibilitiesThe Band 8b Clinical Effectiveness Pharmacist & MSO provides strategic leadership for medicines safety, clinical effectiveness, medicines governance, formulary management and quality improvement across HPFT. The role is responsible for ensuring the safe, effective and evidence-based use of medicines, supporting regulatory compliance, and driving continuous improvement in patient care and outcomes. The postholder acts as the Trust's designated Medication Safety Officer and works closely with clinical teams, senior leaders, the Central East ICB and external organisations to improve medicines optimisation and patient safety.
Main ResponsibilitiesMedicines Safety and Medication Safety Officer (MSO)- Act as the Trust's Medication Safety Officer.
- Lead medicines safety programmes and incident learning.
- Investigate medication-related risks and significant incidents.
- Implement and monitor medicines safety improvement initiatives.
Clinical Effectiveness- Lead pharmacy input into the Trust's clinical effectiveness programme.
- Support implementation of NICE guidance and evidence-based practice.
- Reduce unwarranted variation in prescribing and medicines use.
- Develop and review medicines-related clinical guidelines and pathways.
Medicines Governance- Lead medicines governance, audit and assurance activities.
- Develop and maintain medicines policies, SOPs and governance frameworks.
- Support CQC readiness and regulatory compliance.
- Provide assurance reports to Trust committees and senior leadership teams.
Formulary and Medicines Optimisation- Lead development and governance of the Trust Medicines Formulary.
- Represent HPFT at Central East ICB formulary and medicines optimisation groups.
- Promote evidence-based, cost-effective prescribing.
- Support implementation of system-wide formulary decisions.
MHRA Alerts and National Safety Requirements- Lead Trust processes for MHRA Drug Safety Updates, medicines recalls and National Patient Safety Alerts.
- Coordinate implementation, monitoring and assurance of compliance.
- Advise on emerging medicines safety risks and supply issues.
Audit, Quality Improvement and Service Development- Lead medicines-related audits and quality improvement programmes.
- Monitor key performance indicators and benchmarking data.
- Use audit findings to improve patient safety and service quality.
- Support research, innovation and service transformation initiatives.
Leadership and Workforce Development- Provide professional leadership to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
- Line manage senior pharmacy staff.
- Support recruitment, training, workforce development and succession planning.
- Promote a positive culture of learning, safety and continuous improvement
In summary, this is a senior strategic pharmacy leadership role responsible for medicines safety, clinical effectiveness, medicines governance, formulary management, quality improvement and regulatory assurance, ensuring that medicines are used safely, effectively and in line with national standards across HPFT.
For a more detailed description, please see attached job description and person specification or contact Georgia Michael, g.michael@nhs.net, 07586492813, or Prashant Sanghani, prashant.sanghani@nhs.net, 07977607682
Person SpecificationQualificationsEssential- Master's degree in Pharmacy (MPharm) or equivalent
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as a pharmacist with no restrictions
- Postgraduate pharmacy qualification or evidence of equivalent experience
- Evidence of and commitment to continuing professional development
- Management or leadership qualification or evidence of equivalent experience
Desirable- Independent Prescriber
- Quality Improvement qualification
- Project management qualification
Previous ExperienceEssential- Relevant post-registration hospital clinical pharmacy experience with significant mental health experience
- Good, broad clinical knowledge and ability to apply to a ward, community and dispensary setting
- Demonstrable evidence of specialist knowledge in medicines safety, governance and clinical effectiveness
- Demonstrable experience of clinical audit, quality improvement and clinical effectiveness programmes
- Demonstrable knowledge of NICE guidance, medicines optimisation and patient safety principles, with the ability to apply these in clinical practice and governance
- Experience of leading medicines safety programmes
- Experience of patient safety investigations
- Experience of incident investigation and risk management
- Experience of developing policies, protocols and governance frameworks
- Experience of service development and leading change
- Experience of managing, training, mentorship, supervision of staff including appraisals and giving feedback
- Experience of presenting complex information to senior stakeholders and committees
- Experience of producing reports and presenting the findings to various committees
- Experience of using incident reporting systems.
Desirable- Experience as a Medication Safety Officer
- Experience of working with national audit programmes such as POMH-UK.
- Experience of working with digital prescribing systems.
- Experience of research and publication.
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries and Integrated Care Boards
Communication / Knowledge SkillsEssential- Advanced theoretical and technical, clinical and pharmaceutical knowledge relating to the promotion of high quality, effective and cost-efficient use of medicines, including a wide range of work procedures and practices
- Advanced knowledge of medicines safety principles and patient safety systems
- Comprehensive understanding of medicines legislation and governance requirements
- Knowledge of NICE guidance, MHRA requirements, NHS Patient Safety Strategy and CQC standards.
- Ability to analyse highly complex information and develop practical solutions
- Excellent leadership and people management skills
- Strong report writing and presentation skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and influencing skills.
- Ability to work autonomously and manage competing priorities
- Ability to influence stakeholders across professional groups
- Competent in audit design, data analysis and presentation
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Ability to remain calm and objective under pressure
- Advanced IT skills including data analysis and reporting
- Knowledge of quality improvement methodologies.
Desirable- Knowledge of national medicines optimisation programmes.
Analytical / Physical SkillsEssential- Able to make judgements involving complex facts or situations which require analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options
- Able to critically appraise clinical trial data and research papers
- Excellent computer skills to include Word, PowerPoint, Excel and the Internet
- Car driver, own transport (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving)
Physical/ Mental / EmotionalEssential- Moving and handling laptop and handouts for mandatory training in medicines management
- Driving across Hertfordshire to different bases/units
- The job will require frequent use of VDU equipment every day and intense concentration in a sometimes noisy open plan office environment
- The post holder may encounter challenging/hostile service users when visiting the mental health units
- Communication of complex information about medicines regarding individual service users within own organisation and across other organisations for example commissioning organisations, acute trusts or community pharmacy. This may be multi-professional and there may be barriers to overcome in effective communication
- Ability to manage dispensary workflow as the sole pharmacist with minimal support
- Significant ability to concentrate in multidisciplinary ward rounds
- Regular requirement to deal with distressing or emotionally charged situations.
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 (opens in a new window).
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.Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.Applicants must have current UK professional registration. 
