Clinical Pharmacist – Band 6 to Band 7 Progression
Main area Pharmacy Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent: 37.5 hours per week Hours
- Full time
- Part time
37.5 hours per week (As per 7 day service including on‑calls, late and weekend duties) Job ref 418-AHP7728-SJ-B
Site Bedford Hospital Town Bedford Salary £39,959 – £56,515 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 07/07/2026 23:59
Job overview
Are you an enthusiastic and motivated pharmacist eager to be part of the future of pharmacy service development? Do you believe that patient safety and experience should always come first? If so, we have exciting opportunities for you at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust (BHFT).
We are recruiting pharmacists at the Band 6 entry level, as well as those ready to take the next step in their career, with opportunities to join at Band 6 or Band 7, depending on experience.
Our Pharmacy Department is a vibrant, forward‑thinking team with a strong emphasis on collaboration and professional growth. Through our structured rotation programme in Clinical Pharmacy Services (see job description for details), you will gain valuable experience across a range of specialties.
We are fully committed to your training and development, supporting you to maximise your contribution to patient care. Permanent post‑holders may also have the opportunity to study for a post‑graduate certificate, diploma, or independent prescribing qualification, alongside the general level competency framework (subject to funding).
Don’t forget to watch our recruitment videos in the supporting documents to learn more about our team and the exciting journey ahead!
Main duties of the job
Deliver a high‑quality ward‑based clinical pharmacy service through structured rotations, including drug chart reviews, drug history taking, medicines reconciliation, supply, patient consultations, medicines optimisation, and the Discharge Medication Service (DMS). Participate in departmental and regional education programmes, undertaking study towards the Certificate/Diploma in General Pharmacy Practice. Provide pharmaceutical advice on supply and clinical issues to healthcare professionals, and medication‑related guidance to patients, focusing on medicines started, stopped, or changed during admission, as well as side‑effect profiles to maximise benefit. Support the education and training of pre‑registration pharmacists and staff in training grades, while supervising junior pharmacy technicians and assistants. Contribute to dispensary services such as dispensing, clinical verification, prescription review, accuracy checking, and patient consultations. Ensure service continuity by participating in late‑night, weekend, and bank holiday shifts.
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 valuesWe 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
For pharmacists recruited at the band 6 entry point a pathway identifies criteria for progression and highlights the gradual introduction of key responsibilities as experience is gained working as a Band 6 Pharmacist. After typically being in post 19‑24 months and being able to demonstrate they have met the key responsibilities the pharmacist will be eligible for progression to a band 7 post.
Person specification
Qualifications/Training
- Pharmacy degree (Masters level)
- GPhC Registration as a Pharmacist or Provisionally Registered Pharmacist.
- Willing to undertake clinical training to post grad diploma level
- Train the Trainer qualification
- Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
Experience
- Experience of audit
- Experience of accurate dispensary work
- Experience of patient medication consultation
- Experience of clinical pharmacy services
- Experience of hospital pharmacy
- Experience of collaborative working in multidisciplinary settings
- Experience of training staff
Knowledge
- Demonstration of up to date clinical awareness in medicine
- Knowledge and understanding of medication interactions and common prescribing problems
- Awareness of current developments in Pharmacy practice
- Understanding the need of confidentiality awareness at all times
- Knowledge and awareness of current developments in pharmacy practice and NHS strategies
Personal skills
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to influence other professionals
- Medication counselling skills
- Organised and able to plan and manage work programmes
- Ability to analyse problems and devise solutions
- Appropriate IT skills are required to utilise clinical information systems, pharmacy computer systems, databases and other software to improve patient care.
- Supervisory skills
Other
- Enthusiastic about delivering high quality pharmacy service focussed on the patient experience
- Able to thrive on development/change
- Flexible
- Good interpersonal skills
- Self motivated
- Accurate and precise
- Honest and trustworthy
- Confidence to interact at consultant /general manager level
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.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Name Aneesa Akhtar Job title Principal Pharmacist – Frailty and Complex Email address Aneesa.Akhtar@bedsft.nhs.uk Telephone number 07483322863
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