Foundation or Specialist Pharmacist Fixed Term (1yr)

Job summary
Pharmacy Department
Foundation or Specialist Clinical Pharmacist - 1 Year Fixed Term
Band 6 or 7 (depending on experience) 1.0 WTE, 37.5hrs/week

Due to recent internal promotion, an expanding clinical service and staff maternity leave we are seeking an enthusiastic, experienced and committed clinical pharmacist to join our team.

We have an established rotational training programme for foundation and specialist pharmacists including key areas: Aseptic Services, Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, Frailty, Stroke and Haematology/Oncology. We are particularly proud to host and provide the regional Renal Services & Renal Homecare service.

You will work alongside the Specialist and Advanced Pharmacists to provide medicines management services to Division B pharmacy team covering Surgery and Family Services. With the Medicine Management Technicians and the wider pharmacy and multidisciplinary teams you will support clinical pharmacy services for in and out-patients.

We are excited that our Trust is expanding to improve the care we provide to our patients with the recent opening of the new Hyper Acute Stroke Unit. We are also planning for the opening of the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit in 2027 - part of NHS England's New Hospital Programme.

This fixed term role will provide a variety of opportunities to develop professionally and work across our services at Dorset County Hospital.

Main duties of the job
Key activities of the post holders will include:

• Management and review of in-patients requiring acute care across surgery
• Operational support to the dispensary service
• Screening for homecare prescriptions
• Contributing towards the Cost Improvement Programme and management and review of in and out-patient medication
• Review of guidelines and patient group directions to improve patient management and transfer of care between care providers
• Review of incident reports and practice to support safer medicines use
• Participating in the quality improvement and medicines optimisation programmes
• Supporting the Advanced Pharmacists in incident review, guideline development, financial monitoring to improve process and support service development
• Induction and training of pharmacy technicians and trainee foundation pharmacists
• Providing oversight and support for pharmacy students when on placement with the department

You will be a highly valued member of the Pharmacy and specialist teams and committed to delivering outstanding medicines management.

Key personal qualities will be dedication, enthusiasm, a good team approach and the ability to work accurately under pressure in a very busy environment. Good communication skills and a flexible approach are essential.

About us
We take your personal development seriously. Training and development opportunities are fully supported to enable all staff to achieve their potential. If you are not already a non-medical prescriber, you will be supported to work towards this qualification.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff. Applications to work flexibly, part-time or job share will be considered. Please talk to us about the opportunities available.

There is the possibility that accommodation can be provided on site. Relocation expenses can be considered.

The hospital is a friendly working environment within walking distance of Dorchester's historic center. Dorchester has a vibrant social scene including the new Brewery Square development, shops, restaurants, cinemas, festivals and local farmers markets. Direct trains link London (2.5hrs), Weymouth (10mins) and the South West including Bristol and Bath. The Jurassic Coastline, an area of outstanding natural beauty, and the National Sailing Academy are only eight miles away.

The post includes rostered weekend and bank holiday working (currently 1 in 8), a weekly late duty and participation in the pharmacy on-call service.

Details
Closing date: 17 August 2026
Date posted: 31 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £56,515 a year (Per annum)
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 1 years
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 405-26-AHP389FSP
Job locations: Dorset County Hospital (Main Site), Williams Avenue, Dorchester, DT1 2JY, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff.

Our Mission is to provide outstanding care for people in ways which matter to them, and our vision is Dorset County Hospital, working with our health and social care partners, will be at the heart of improving the well-being of our communities.

We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.

We understand that AI can be a useful tool when completing your application. However, we are seeing an increasing over-reliance of AI tools, which can negatively affect your application as it reduces a candidates individuality, and makes it difficult for us to gain a clear and authentic understanding of your experience, skills, and in turn your suitability for the role.

All submissions must be truthful and if you do use AI, it should only be used to enhance your application and not create your supporting statement in its entirety. Your supporting statement should be in your own words and must accurately reflect your personal experience and achievements. Where we have concerns that AI has been used to generate content that misrepresents your experience and suitability for the role, we may withdraw your application.

UKVI Sponsorship: This role is eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). We welcome applications from individuals who require sponsorship to work in the UK. Sponsorship will be offered subject to meeting UKVI eligibility criteria.

Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Experience of providing clinical pharmacy services (B-7)
• Experience of working in mental health within the UK (B-7)
• Understands pharmacy priorities (B-7)
• Demonstrates awareness of good distribution practice (B-7)
• Demonstrates an awareness of patient safety concerns (B-7)
• Evidence of ability to influence prescribing practice (B-7)
• Demonstrates experience of clinical reasoning and judgement in practice (B-7)
• Experience in delivering educational material to junior colleagues (B-7)
• Experience in mentoring and coaching (B-7)
• Experience in clinical audit and implementation of outcomes (B-7)
• Implements the findings of pharmacy practice research (B-7)
• Demonstrates awareness of how research evidence is produced and distributed (B-7)
• Identifies own training needs (B-7)
• Maintains a portfolio of practice (B-7)
• Experience of pharmacy computer systems, including EPMA (B-6)
• Experience in Quality Improvement/Clinical Audit (B-6)
• Hospital experience through trainee foundation pharmacist year or other means (B-6)
• Understands pharmacy priorities (B-6)
• Understanding of Trust priorities (B-6)
• Awareness of patient safety concernsEvidence of current clinical knowledge (demonstrated level of competency necessary for the post) (B-6)

Desirable

• Experience of working in a hospital pharmacy setting (B-7)
• Experience in delivering a clinical pharmacy service to a range of clinical specialities (B-7)
• Demonstrates advanced clinical knowledge and skills (B-7)
• Experience in clinical trials and GCP (B-7)
• Understanding of Trust and pharmacy priorities (B-7)
• Experience in delivering education and training within pharmacy (B-7)
• Experience of electronic prescribing and medicines administration (B-7)
• Demonstrates awareness of research evidence in clinical practice (B-7)
• Participation in pharmacy practice research and implements relevant findings (B-7)
• Meets own training needs (B-7)
• Post-registration experience as a pharmacist (B-6)
• Demonstrates awareness of and commitment to the principles of clinical governance (B-6)
• Experience of providing training and supervision to pharmacy colleagues (B-6)
• Experience of presenting to formal meetings (B-6)

Education
Essential

• A minimum of two years post-registration experience in pharmacy (for AfC B7)
• Demonstrable evidence of competence at foundation level practice including medicine and surgery (AfC B7)
• Postgraduate qualification in clinical pharmacy or satisfactory evidence of equivalent competence as demonstrated within a practice portfolio (AfC B7)
• Demonstrates a general (AfC B6)/ broad knowledge (AfC B7) of pharmacy practice
• Completion of a Master's degree in Pharmacy (or equivalent) B-7
• Demonstrates the ability to deliver a clinical pharmacy service B-7
• Experience in clinical audit and implementation of outcomes
• Awareness of models of non-doctor prescribing (B-7)
• Demonstrates the ability to deliver a clinical pharmacy service (B-7)
• Meets expected levels of practice as defined by others (B-7)
• MPharm degree or equivalent. (B-6)
• GPhC registration. (B-6)

Desirable

• Demonstrable evidence of competence at foundation level practice in a further clinical area (B-7)
• Qualified as an independent non-medical prescriber (B-7)
• Identifies areas where non-doctor prescribing may be applicable to specialist practice (B-7)
• Identifies areas for practice improvements (B-7)
• Good Clinical Practice Certificate - clinical trials (B-7)
• Current Basic Life Support training (B-7)
• Member of the Royal College of Pharmacy (B-7)

SKILLS & ABILITIES
Essential

• Able to utilise a variety of pharmacy computer systems (Band-7)
• Adheres to legal standards and demonstrates knowledge of medicines legislation (Band-7)
• Understands pharmacy priorities (Band-7)
• Able to organise own workload (Band-7)
• Ability to evaluate quality of own work (Band-7)
• Collects data regarding service provision (Band-7)
• Ability to utilise email and word processing packages to support routine work activity (Band-7)
• Demonstrates ability to meet service targets (Band-7)
• Demonstrates initiative (Band-7)
• Able to work without direct supervision (Band-7)
• Demonstrates the ability to manage identified risks (Band-7)
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with patients and staff (Band-7)
• Able to identify and prioritise clinical workload for team (Band-7)
• Identifies appropriate therapeutic options (Band-7)
• Evidence of ability to influence prescribing practice (Band-7)
• Ability to communicate in a verbal or written manner with patients, junior pharmacy, nursing, medical, and other multidisciplinary staff (Band-7)
• Demonstrates the ability to communicate complex information effectively (Band-7)
• Maintains standards of patient care (Band-7)
• Demonstrates awareness of and commitment to the principles of clinical governance (Band-7)
• Demonstrable participation in clinical audit (Band-7)
• Demonstrates ability to work under pressure (Band-7)
• Demonstrates ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team (Band-7)
• Displays honesty and integrity, is aware of ethical dilemmas relating to medicines use, and respects confidentiality (Band-7)
• Demonstrates good timekeeping (Band-7)
• Able to participate in the out of hours on-call service (Band-7)
• Able to work flexibly on rostered weekday late duties, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays(Band-7)
• Accurate dispensing/clinical checking skills (Band -6)
• Adherence to legal standards and knowledge of medicines legislation (Band -6)
• Evidence of being able to work effectively under pressure (Band -6)
• Evidence of good timekeeping (Band -6)
• Ability to plan and prioritise own work (Band -6)
• Good computer literacy (Band -6)
• Able to work without direct supervision with respect to medicines management issues. (Band -6)
• Ability to identify patient safety concerns (Band -6)
• Able to participate in out-of-hours on-call service (Band -6)
• Able to work on weekday late duties, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays (on rota) (Band -6)
• Good work attendance record (Band -6)
• Maintains standards of patient care (Band -6)
• Ability to communicate in a verbal or written manner with patients, pharmacy, nursing. Medical and other multidisciplinary staff (Band -6)
• Displays honesty and integrity, is aware of ethical dilemmas relating to medicines use, respects confidentiality (Band -6)
• Identifies own training needs (Band -6)

Desirable

• Experience with electronic prescribing and medicines administration (Band-7)
• Experience in co-ordinating the day-to-day practice activities of others (Band-7)
• Identifies appropriate measures of service (Band-7)
• Ability to utilise presentation, spreadsheet and database software packages to support the work of the clinical pharmacy team (Band-7)
• Reports on data regarding service provision (Band-7)
• Ability to work autonomously (Band-7)
• Demonstrates the ability to identify and manage risks (Band-7)
• Demonstrates ability to appropriately recommend, substantiate and communicate therapeutic options (Band-7)
• Ability to communicate in a verbal or written manner and influence patients, junior pharmacy, nursing, medical, and other multidisciplinary staff (Band-7)
• Enhances standards of patient care (Band-7)
• Ability to implement audit outcomes (Band-7)
• Demonstrates ability to achieve desired outcomes in the face of unavoidable work pressures (Band-7)
• Demonstrates ability to meet service targets (Band -6)
• Demonstrates initiative (Band -6)
• Able to evaluate quality of own work (Band -6)
• Implements the findings of pharmacy practice research (Band -6)

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: Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Dorset County Hospital (Main Site), Williams Avenue, Dorchester, DT1 2JY, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Lead Pharmacist Division B
Name: Ursula Gotel
Email: View email address on meeveem.com
Telephone: View phone number on meeveem.com