Band 8B Principal Pharmacist (Mental Health)
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Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust Band 8B Principal Pharmacist (Mental Health)
The closing date is 17 November 2026
Job summary
Are you a highly motivated and experienced pharmacist with passion for Medicines Optimisation? Looking for an opportunity to lead a clinical pharmacy team to ensure safety, evidence-based practice and improve patient experience? Do you have the skills and experience to manage, motivate, and inspire pharmacists and medicines management technicians? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!
We are looking for a Principal Pharmacist to help us improve safe and effective use of medicines to improve patient outcome. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our patients.
NSFT Pharmacy will support the development of pharmacists looking to go into a leadership role within mental health.
The post-holder will be based in Norfolk. This is a full-time post and will involve some travelling across different sites within Norfolk and Suffolk.
Main duties of the job
As a Principal Pharmacist, you will:
- Management and supervision of pharmacists and Medicines Management Technicians and develop a competent, motivated, and versatile clinical pharmacy workforce.
- Providing leadership role for good Medicines Management to ensure and to promote safe and secure handling of medicines in their clinical area of responsibility
- Leading Medicines Optimisation agenda to ensure and to promote patient safety, treatment effectiveness, better patient experience with treatment, embedding medicines optimisation principles in routine clinical practice in their clinical area of responsibility
- Working with leadership in the Trust and commissioners to support wider Trust requirements in relation to medicines management and medicines optimisation
- Developing and implementing clinical pharmacy standards and quality improvement initiatives
- Leading the development, delivery, evaluation, and improvement of clinical pharmacy services across the Trust
- Providing professional expertise, advice, and training to health professionals, patients and carers.
About us
Some of the benefits included with this role:
- NHS pension
- a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
- career progression
- starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
- staff physio service
- NHS discounts and many more
Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.
Why work for us?We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.
Why Norfolk and Suffolk?The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.
Details
Date posted
05 November 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8b
Salary
£66,582 to £77,368 a year gross per annum (pro rata)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
Reference number
246-COR8293738
Job locations
Hellesdon Hospital
Drayton High Road
Norwich
NR6 5BE
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Master's Degree in Pharmacy
- Current registered member of General Pharmaceutical Council
- Postgraduate qualification in mental health therapeutics
Desirable
- Member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy
- Management qualification
- Postgraduate qualification in general pharmacy
- Member of the Royal College of Pharmacy
- Independent Prescriber
Knowledge
Essential
- Thorough knowledge of mental health therapeutics
- Knowledge of national and local priorities
- Up to date with local and national evidence-based guidelines
Skills
Essential
- Able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Communicates with medical, nursing and pharmacy staff in clear precise and appropriate manner.
- Clinical and critical appraisal skills
- The ability to identify and manage risks
- The ability to identify and prioritise clinical workload
- Evidence of writing or supporting procedures, guidelines or protocols.
Desirable
- Research skills
Experience
Essential
- Significant working experience of mental health environment
- Experience of service and staff management
- To have led or undertaken clinical audit
- and staff management Demonstrate the ability to appropriately recommend, substantiate and communicate medicine related information to mental health patients, carers and clinical staff
Desirable
- Service evaluation and development
- Previous evaluated experience of mentorship and training skills
- Monitoring and advising on drug expenditure
- Teaching experience
Qualifications
Essential
- Master's Degree in Pharmacy
- Current registered member of General Pharmaceutical Council
- Postgraduate qualification in mental health therapeutics
Desirable
- Member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy
- Management qualification
- Postgraduate qualification in general pharmacy
- Member of the Royal College of Pharmacy
- Independent Prescriber
Knowledge
Essential
- Thorough knowledge of mental health therapeutics
- Knowledge of national and local priorities
- Up to date with local and national evidence-based guidelines
Skills
Essential
- Able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Communicates with medical, nursing and pharmacy staff in clear precise and appropriate manner.
- Clinical and critical appraisal skills
- The ability to identify and manage risks
- The ability to identify and prioritise clinical workload
- Evidence of writing or supporting procedures, guidelines or protocols.
Desirable
- Research skills
Experience
Essential
- Significant working experience of mental health environment
- Experience of service and staff management
- To have led or undertaken clinical audit
- and staff management Demonstrate the ability to appropriately recommend, substantiate and communicate medicine related information to mental health patients, carers and clinical staff
Desirable
- Service evaluation and development
- Previous evaluated experience of mentorship and training skills
- Monitoring and advising on drug expenditure
- Teaching experience
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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. 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 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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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. 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 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
Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
Address
Hellesdon Hospital
Drayton High Road
Norwich
NR6 5BE
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
Address
Hellesdon Hospital
Drayton High Road
Norwich
NR6 5BE
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Head of Pharmacy - Clinical Services
Dennis Liew
01603421212
Details
Date posted
05 November 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8b
Salary
£66,582 to £77,368 a year gross per annum (pro rata)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
Reference number
246-COR8293738
Job locations
Hellesdon Hospital
Drayton High Road
Norwich
NR6 5BE
United Kingdom
Supporting documents
Privacy notice
Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)
Support links
© Crown copyright
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