Pharmacy & Medicines Digital Lead
Job summary
Join our team in an exciting new role of Pharmacy and Medicines Digital Lead
Location: Preston
Band: 7 AFCContract Type: Permanent, secondment considered
Hours of work: Monday to Friday. Full-time hours preferred but part time will be considered for the right candidate.
NWAS is on an exciting trajectory of investment in digital systems to support safe and effective use of medicines and provide the oversight and governance required. We need someone to join the team who has vision, drive and ambition to lead digital technology to support medicines optimisation. Being the digital lead for medicines you will not only be the lead for digital pharmacy systems and projects that evolve from innovation, but you will provide the support for maintaining systems. You will be instrumental in helping to shape the future of digital medicines management across the Trust.
The NWAS Medicines Supply Hub is based in Preston and supplies medicines for over 50 ambulance stations, including two air ambulance bases and two hazardous area response teams, and over 600 vehicles. The Medicines Team consists of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and medicines assistants.
Main duties of the job
As the Pharmacy and Medicines Digital Lead, you will:
- Implement, lead and manage all medicines-related digital systems (for example: stock management, controlled drug registers, temperature monitoring systems).
- Support the Chief Pharmacist in aligning digital systems with Trust and NHS strategies.
- Provide business intelligence and operational support to optimise medicines use and safety.
- Drive innovation through digital transformation, quality improvement and sustainability initiatives.
- Lead on procurement, governance, and training related to digital medicines systems.
What We're Looking For
We're seeking a GPhC-registered pharmacy professional or a candidate with a degree in a computer-related discipline and demonstrable experience in pharmacy digital systems. You should also have:
- Strong IT and analytical skills
- Experience in pharmacy operations and medicines procurement
- Excellent communication and leadership abilities
- A passion for digital innovation and excellent understanding of patient safety
- A valid driving licence and willingness to travel across the North West on occasion for any meetings or training that are not at the Preston base.
About us
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport.
Our highly skilled staff provide life-saving care to patients in the community and take people to hospital or a place of care if needed.We also provide non-emergency patient transport services for those patients who require non-emergency transport to and from hospital and who are unable to travel unaided because of their medical condition or clinical need.
Alongside the other emergency services, we also work to ensure the safety of the public and treatment of patients in the event of a major incident.
We also deliver the NHS 111 service in the North West. NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct in 2013. This service was introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. It provides non-emergency medical help fast, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure you have read the full Job Description and Person Specification before applying for this role.
The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.
Interviews will be held on 12th August 2025
Person Specification
Skills
- Experience working within a pharmacy team
- Excellent IT skills, including pharmacy stock management systems and Microsoft applications
- Excellent written communication skills utilising a diverse range of tools and understanding the plain English principles
- Education and training skills
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and deal with situations in a sensitive and empathic manner
- Experience in the application of HR processes
- Demonstrable experience of line management responsibilities
Qualifications
- GPhC-registered Pharmacy Professional AND Demonstrable experience of working with healthcare IT systems in a support, design or configuration role with significant experience in working within a pharmacy team
- OR Degree in a computer related discipline with skills and/or competencies typically gained during the performance of an IT support role AND Experience of working in a complex pharmacy organisation (eg: ambulance service or hospital) with responsibilities for the maintenance of pharmacy digital stock management systems and/or responsibilities for stock procurement and maintenance of drug catalogues
Knowledge
- Knowledge of Health and Safety at Work Act and COSHH
- Knowledge of project management principles
Experience
- Extensive experience of working with medicines/pharmacy
- Experience and knowledge of medicines procurement
- Experience of writing procedures
Values
- Commitment to continuing professional development of self and others
Values
- Able to motivate others and engage them in the medicines optimisation agenda
- Working together - demonstrate collaborative and inclusive working and challenge behaviour that is not inclusive or acceptable
Skills
- Understanding of the importance of robust change control and evidence of being able to follow strict instructions
- Analytical skills in data extraction, data analysis and report writing
- Ability to communicate complex system and technical issues to a variety of staff at different levels within the organisation
- Awareness of NHS governance frameworks, data protection regulations (GDPR), and information governance requirements
- Excellent oral communication skills with a wide range of audiences
- A self-starter with the ability to work independently using own initiative and to tight deadlines
- Ability to lead and co-ordinate a complex workload
- Clinical audit and evaluation and quality improvement skills
- Ability to review complex information and interpret it for the given situation
- Able to communicate across wide demographic boundaries in an appropriate manner with tact and diplomacy
- Strong management, motivational and leadership skills
- Respects and applies patient confidentiality at all times
- Able to operate all equipment safely and in accordance with Trust policy, procedures and protocols
- Good literacy and numeracy skills
- Problem solving
- Methodical
- Organised and able to manage time and priorities
- Demonstrable compassionate and inclusive leadership
Knowledge
- Good clinical knowledge of medicines
- Good knowledge of the risks of medicines and how they can be minimised
- Knowledge of the principles of GDP and GMP and willing to undertake further study on this
Values
- Hard working and highly motivated
- Trustworthy
- Flexible approach to working
- Project a professional image
- Enthusiasm for the role
- Ability to maintain a professional image and follow the General Pharmaceutical Council professional guidelines
- Self motivated
- Good time management
- Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to the role, ie: with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation
- Being at our best - professional and adaptable and takes pride in work
- Making a difference - act with compassion, kindness and integrity towards everyone
Other
- Valid driving licence and use of own vehicle and willingness to travel around NW of England area
- Satisfactory enhanced DBS
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.
Employer details
Employer name
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Address
Medicines Supply Hub
Preston
PR3 5LN
Employer's website
https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/
- Company
- North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- Location
- Preston, United Kingdom PR3 5LN
- Employment Type
- Permanent
- Salary
- £47810.00 - £54710.00 a year
- Posted
- Company
- North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- Location
- Preston, United Kingdom PR3 5LN
- Employment Type
- Permanent
- Salary
- £47810.00 - £54710.00 a year
- Posted