Lead Pharmacist for Community Mental Health and AOT

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Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust Lead Pharmacist for Community Mental Health and AOT

The closing date is 22 November 2026

Apply for this job

Job summary

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is one of the first Trusts in the country to achieve Advanced Foundation Trust status, demonstrating the delivery of excellent care, strong leadership with financial sustainability. We are looking to recruit an experienced and motivated Lead Pharmacist for our Community Mental Health Services to enhance our current pharmacy offer and to provide pharmaceutical leadership, care and support to our new trust wide Assertive Outreach Team.

This Band 8b post holder will work closely with the Deputy Chief Pharmacist to ensure our strategic plans align to the 10-year plan to increase focus on reducing health inequalities, ensuring faster and more joined up care, support people in being cared for in the community and optimising digital technology.

The post holder will work closely with our Trust Mental Health Clinical and Service Leads, Senior Clinicians, Non-Medical Prescribing Leads as well as being a member of our Pharmacy Senior Leadership Team. Other key relationships to be built with GP practices, community pharmacies, third sector partners, patient/carer groups local acute Trusts as well as our Thames Valley ICB partners. The post is based at Prospect Park Hospital, Reading, with Trust-wide working. Travel across Trust sites may be required. We support flexible and hybrid working where appropriate to the role.

Work Pattern: Monday-Friday, 9-5, with some flexibility required to meet service needs.

Main duties of the job

The Lead Pharmacist for Community Mental Health Services and Assertive Outreach Team (Band 8b) provides strategic, professional and operational leadership for clinical pharmacy services across community mental health services within Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The post holder leads the development, delivery and continuous improvement of high-quality, patient-centred medicines optimisation services, ensuring compliance with national standards, legislation and best practice.

Working closely with the Deputy Chief Pharmacist, Chief Pharmacist, multidisciplinary teams and system partners, the role is responsible for driving service development, governance, workforce development, quality improvement and financial stewardship. The post holder acts as the Trust's lead pharmacist for the Assertive Outreach Team, provides expert clinical advice on complex medicines-related issues, manages specialist pharmacy staff, and supports the organisation in achieving its strategic objectives for safe, effective and innovative mental health care.

The role also contributes to wider pharmacy and Trust leadership, leading audits, policy development, staff training and service transformation initiatives, while promoting excellence in medicines optimisation and improving patient outcomes across community mental health services.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Details

Date posted

06 November 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£66,582 to £77,368 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS1227

Job locations

Pharmacy Dept - Prospect Park Hospital, Honey End Ln, Reading RG30 4EJ

Reading

RG30 4EJ

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

The must have's for this role:

• MPharm degree and current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Substantial mental health pharmacy experience in hospital or community settings.
• Ability to provide specialised medicines advice to teams and colleagues about the safe and evidence-based use of medicines.
• Strong communication, organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across Pharmacy and Community Mental Health services.
• Experience of supervising, training or supporting pharmacy staff, trainees or colleagues.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, its important that examples and responses given in your supporting statement genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.

In addition to explaining how you meet the person specification, you must complete your employment history for at least the last five years. Any experience, skills or responsibilities referenced in your supporting statement should be evidenced within your employment history. Applications that do not include sufficient employment history to support the experience claimed may not be shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Stonewall Proud Employer, Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to contact Ozma Tahir, Deputy Chief Pharmacist on 07580737965 or email [email protected] who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The must have's for this role:

• MPharm degree and current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Substantial mental health pharmacy experience in hospital or community settings.
• Ability to provide specialised medicines advice to teams and colleagues about the safe and evidence-based use of medicines.
• Strong communication, organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across Pharmacy and Community Mental Health services.
• Experience of supervising, training or supporting pharmacy staff, trainees or colleagues.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, its important that examples and responses given in your supporting statement genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.

In addition to explaining how you meet the person specification, you must complete your employment history for at least the last five years. Any experience, skills or responsibilities referenced in your supporting statement should be evidenced within your employment history. Applications that do not include sufficient employment history to support the experience claimed may not be shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Stonewall Proud Employer, Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to contact Ozma Tahir, Deputy Chief Pharmacist on 07580737965 or email [email protected] who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups.

Person Specification

Education, qualifications or training

Essential

• Good BPharm/MPharm/BSc Pharmacy or equivalent
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Postgraduate diploma in clinical or psychiatric pharmacy or equivalent

Desirable

• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
• Member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy (CMHP)
• Masters (MSc) in clinical pharmacy or leadership equivalent
• Other postgraduate qualifications relevant to pharmacy practice, such as management or education and training qualifications

Continuous Professional Development

Essential

• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Previous Experience

Essential

• Substantial post registration experience as a practising pharmacist. This should include pharmacy practice in a wide range of clinical specialities
• Substantial hospital and clinical pharmacy experience
• Mental health pharmacy experience/providing medicines information to mental health patients
• Experience of delivering and developing teaching/training/ education up to and including post-graduate level
• Demonstrable experience of co-ordinating and leading on clinical audit
• Demonstrable experience of working with senior healthcare professionals outside of Pharmacy to achieve across Trust developments
• Experience in budget management/financial procedures
• Experience in policy/procedure writing and implementation
• Demonstrable track record of driving and implementing change

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience formulating long-term strategic plans for the effective development of Pharmacy Services
• Demonstrable experience of managing, developing and mentoring a large number of staff/teams

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal communication and reporting skills, verbal and written (tact, empathy, negotiation, diplomacy)
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office software with proven computer literacy and IT skills including: email, word processing, spreadsheets, databases
• Proven negotiation/clinical reasoning skills
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise and meet deadlines
• Self-motivated
• Able to manage staff and deal with all personnel issues.
• Able to demonstrate a good understanding of clinical pharmacy and therapeutic options
• Able to involve and communicate with patients and carers
• Ability to make decisions, utilising the available support when necessary.
• Able to prioritise and organise workload
• Ability to influence others
• Ability to gain the respect of colleagues.

Desirable

• Project planning and project management skills.

Person Specification

Education, qualifications or training

Essential

• Good BPharm/MPharm/BSc Pharmacy or equivalent
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Postgraduate diploma in clinical or psychiatric pharmacy or equivalent

Desirable

• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
• Member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy (CMHP)
• Masters (MSc) in clinical pharmacy or leadership equivalent
• Other postgraduate qualifications relevant to pharmacy practice, such as management or education and training qualifications

Continuous Professional Development

Essential

• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Previous Experience

Essential

• Substantial post registration experience as a practising pharmacist. This should include pharmacy practice in a wide range of clinical specialities
• Substantial hospital and clinical pharmacy experience
• Mental health pharmacy experience/providing medicines information to mental health patients
• Experience of delivering and developing teaching/training/ education up to and including post-graduate level
• Demonstrable experience of co-ordinating and leading on clinical audit
• Demonstrable experience of working with senior healthcare professionals outside of Pharmacy to achieve across Trust developments
• Experience in budget management/financial procedures
• Experience in policy/procedure writing and implementation
• Demonstrable track record of driving and implementing change

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience formulating long-term strategic plans for the effective development of Pharmacy Services
• Demonstrable experience of managing, developing and mentoring a large number of staff/teams

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal communication and reporting skills, verbal and written (tact, empathy, negotiation, diplomacy)
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office software with proven computer literacy and IT skills including: email, word processing, spreadsheets, databases
• Proven negotiation/clinical reasoning skills
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise and meet deadlines
• Self-motivated
• Able to manage staff and deal with all personnel issues.
• Able to demonstrate a good understanding of clinical pharmacy and therapeutic options
• Able to involve and communicate with patients and carers
• Ability to make decisions, utilising the available support when necessary.
• Able to prioritise and organise workload
• Ability to influence others
• Ability to gain the respect of colleagues.

Desirable

• Project planning and project management skills.

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

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Pharmacy Dept - Prospect Park Hospital, Honey End Ln, Reading RG30 4EJ

Reading

RG30 4EJ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Pharmacy Dept - Prospect Park Hospital, Honey End Ln, Reading RG30 4EJ

Reading

RG30 4EJ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Deputy Chief Pharmacist

Ozma Tahir

[email protected]

07580737965

Details

Date posted

06 November 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£66,582 to £77,368 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS1227

Job locations

Pharmacy Dept - Prospect Park Hospital, Honey End Ln, Reading RG30 4EJ

Reading

RG30 4EJ

United Kingdom

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