Advanced Specialist Pharmacist Virtual Wards, Hospital @ Home + OPAT
Job overview
Join a dynamic, innovative team driving excellence in virtual healthcare!
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced pharmacist to lead and support the Virtual Ward and Hospital @ Home services across both sites of the organisation. Are you a Clinical Pharmacist passionate about transforming patient care through Virtual Wards, Hospital at Home (H@H), and OPAT?Ready for a role that challenges, inspires, and rewards you? This could be your perfect opportunity!
You will work closely with the consultant microbiologists and consultant antimicrobial pharmacist, acute physicians, specialist nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure safe, effective, and patient-centred therapy.
You will oversee and coordinate the pharmacy clinical service for Virtual wards and hospital@home, investigating medicines-related safety incidents, monitoring financial and clinical governance, and leading on evidence-based prescribing. You will also be responsible for developing guidelines on prescribing, administration, and storage of IV antimicrobials, ensuring seamless care across primary and secondary settings.
You will be a GPhC-registered pharmacist with strong clinical experience, excellent communication skills, and a passion for clinical pharmacy. Prior experience in antimicrobial pharmacy is desirable but not essential—you just need the drive to develop in this area.
Main duties of the job
To lead and develop an advanced specialist clinical pharmacy service for Bedfordshire Hospitals Virtual Ward (inc virtual ward (VW) step-up, VW step down, hospital at home (H@H) and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services, which is consistent with the priorities and needs of the relevant Clinical Service Line.This should also be in line with local, regional and national policies and best practice including compliance with Medicines legislation. This will ensure the safe, clinical and cost effective use of medicines and staff resources.
To be responsible for delivering the defined service Key Performance Indicators and include close working with other Lead or Specialist Pharmacists.
To be responsible for the cross site provision of Hospitals Virtual Ward (inc virtual ward (VW) step-up, VW step down, hospital at home (H@H) and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services.
Clinically validate prescriptions medication according to Trust protocols and locally agreed standards and guidelines.
Responsible for the local development and adaptation of prescription templates for Hospitals Virtual Ward (inc virtual ward (VW) step-up, VW step down, hospital at home (H@H) and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the the attached job description to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of the job.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Clinical Diploma
- GphC registration
- Bachelor/Master of Pharmacy degree
- Independent prescriber
- Clinical Diploma tutor/Educational Supervisor
- Management courses
- Train the trainer qualification
Experience
Essential criteria- Evidence of specialist practitioner practice
- Policy and service development
- Experience in supervising and training staff
- Experience in delivering E&T to various health care professionals
- Experience as Clinical Diploma Educational Supervisor
- Staff line management experience
Skills
Essential criteria- Good written & verbal skills
- Ability to influence other professionals & communicate at consultant level
- Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines
- Ability to lead & implement directorate service strategies
- Enthusiastic about development of pharmacy services
- Team player
It is an exciting time to join the newly formed Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We run two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Our 7,500 staff provide high quality care for a growing population of around 700,000 across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.Travel between hospital sites may be required. We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post.