Lead Pharmacy Technician / Senior Pharmacist – Digital Medicines
Job summary
Band 7 Lead Pharmacy Technician / Senior Pharmacist - Digital Medicines
We are seeking a proactive and motivated Lead Pharmacy Technician or Senior Pharmacist to join our Digital Medicines and Clinical Informatics team.
Digital medicines systems are central to how medicines are prescribed, reviewed, administered and monitored across the Trust. This role offers the opportunity to develop specialist expertise in digital healthcare while helping ensure these systems support safe, effective and efficient patient care.
Working at the interface of Pharmacy, clinical services, DDaT and system suppliers, you will bring pharmacy insight to digital change and help translate clinical and operational needs into safe, usable digital solutions.
This post would suit someone who is curious, analytical and detail-focused, with a keen interest and commitment to improving medicines use through technology.
Main duties of the job
As a Band 7 Lead Pharmacy Technician / Senior Pharmacist, you will:
- Act as a key professional lead for digital medicines systems, including electronic prescribing and medicines administration (ePMA) and related clinical systems.
- Support the safe configuration, optimisation and maintenance of digital medicines workflows.
- Contribute to clinical safety assurance, risk management and governance in line with national standards (e.g. DCB0129 / DCB0160).
- Provide expert advice and support to pharmacy and clinical teams on the effective use of digital medicines systems.
- Support digital change, upgrades and new functionality, ensuring safe implementation and adoption.
- Use data, reporting and system intelligence to support medicines safety, service improvement and decision-making.
- Work collaboratively across pharmacy, DDaT and clinical services to resolve issues and drive continuous improvement.
About us
Reading sits on the river Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.
The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.
Our "CARE" values:C ompassionate,A spirational,R esourceful,E xcellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Responsibilities:
Configure, maintain and optimise digital medicines systems, including ePMA and associated prescribing platforms.
Maintain system content and configuration in line with formulary, governance and clinical requirements.
Investigate, troubleshoot and resolve system issues, escalating where appropriate.
Analyse and interpret system requests, assessing the impact on clinical workflows, patient safety and system performance.
Ensure systems operate reliably and support safe and effective medicines management processes.
Support clinical safety activities, including system testing, validation, documentation and risk management.
Provide specialist advice and guidance to system users and stakeholders.
Work collaboratively with pharmacy, clinical, digital and supplier teams to support delivery of digital medicines services.
Plan and manage workload effectively, adapting to changing priorities and service demands.
Communicate complex system, clinical and technical information to a wide range of stakeholders.
Provide specialist advice and guidance to users of digital medicines systems.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with pharmacy, clinical, digital teams and external suppliers.
Represent pharmacy at operational meetings, user groups and forums relating to digital medicines systems.
Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the job role.
Person Specification
Education, Qualifications & Training
- Registered Pharmacist (GPhC) or Registered Pharmacy Technician (GPhC)
- Relevant pharmacy qualification (MPharm, NVQ Level 3 or equivalent)
- Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD)
- Evidence of training or experience in digital systems, clinical informatics or health IT (e.g. ePMA/EPR)
- Postgraduate qualification or training in clinical informatics, digital health or IM&T
- Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACT)
- Training/teaching qualification
- Membership of, or working towards, a recognised professional body in digital health or informatics (e.g. FEDIP, BCS or equivalent)
- Formal or informal training in digital health, clinical informatics or health IT systems
Knowledge
- Awareness of governance, audit and data requirements
- Awareness of digital transformation within the NHS and its impact on pharmacy practice
Skills
- Strong digital literacy, with confidence in using and supporting clinical systems
Experience
- Experience working within hospital pharmacy services
- Experience of using electronic prescribing or digital medicines systems
- Experience of system configuration, testing, maintenance or support
- Experience of delivering training or supporting staff in system use
- Experience of working with multidisciplinary teams
- Experience of audit, quality improvement or service evaluation activities
- Experience of digital transformation, system implementation or optimisation projects
- Experience with EPR systems (e.g. Cerner / Oracle Health or similar)
- Experience of system upgrades or enhancement activities
- Experience contributing to service development or business cases
- Experience participating in user groups or system forums
- Experience acting as a system "super user" or specialist (A/I)
Knowledge
- Knowledge of medicines use and the risks associated with medicines-related errors, including how digital systems can both mitigate and introduce risk to patient safety
- Understanding of electronic prescribing systems and their impact on patient care and clinical workflows
- Knowledge of drug nomenclature (e.g. DM+D) and its application within digital systems
- Knowledge of clinical safety standards (e.g. DCB0129 / DCB0160)
- Knowledge of NHS digital strategies, programmes or priorities
- Knowledge of interoperability and system integration
- Understanding of data reporting tools or dashboards
Skills
- Ability to analyse complex information and data, and use findings to support decision-making and service improvement
- Experience of testing, configuring or adapting digital systems
- Ability to develop and deliver training effectively
- Advanced data analysis skills (e.g. Excel, reporting tools)
- Experience supporting system optimisation or redesign
- Experience coordinating workload across a team
Other
- Ability to participate in departmental rotas where required
Skills
- Strong problem-solving skills with ability to investigate and resolve system issues
- Ability to prioritise and manage own workload in a dynamic environment
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Excellent communication skills, able to explain technical concepts to non-technical users
- Ability to work collaboratively and influence practice across multidisciplinary teams
- Experience influencing system use or practice
Personal Qualities
- Proactive and self-motivated, able to work independently
- Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
- Strong team working and collaboration skills
- Ability to manage competing demands and work under pressure
- Commitment to patient safety and service quality
- Willingness to learn and develop in digital and clinical informatics
Other
- Willingness to work flexibly to support service needs
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Royal Berkshire Hospital
Craven Road
Reading
RG1 5AN
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/