NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your applicationbut your answers must be your own.
-
Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
-
Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
-
Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.
Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand younot an AI tool.
Specialist Pharmacist
West Lothian Mental Health
NHS Lothian Pharmacy & Medicines Service
St John’s Hospital
Band 7 | Permanent | 1.0 WTE | 36 Hours
£52,845 -£ 61,466
(including weekends, on-call and public holidays commitment)
About the Role
The post holder will be part of a team of clinical pharmacists providing input to adult mental health, based at the St John’s Hospital. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys variety in their working environment and is comfortable adapting to changing service needs. Key areas for patient focused care include provision of pharmaceutical care to vulnerable patients, medication history reviews, provision of medicines advice, maintenance of a high-dose antipsychotic monitoring system, monitoring adherence to the Mental Health Act, patient/carer education. The post holder will deliver specialist clinical pharmacy service within the agreed standard of pharmaceutical care for the identified patient population, safely, effectively and within the defined limits of responsibility, resources and activity.
Why Join Us?
This is an excellent opportunity for a dynamic and forward-thinking Clinical Pharmacist who wishes to contribute to our vision of improving mental health services for adults. The successful provision of this service relies on multidisciplinary working. The post holder will also have close links with other members of the pharmacy team across NHS Lothian.
About you
Essential Qualifications and Experience:
-
A Master of Pharmacy Degree (or equivalent).
-
Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
-
Completed training or equivalent competence mapped to the RPS Post-Registration Foundation Pharmacist Curriculum.
Skills and Attributes:
-
Experience in proactively influencing prescribing, using clinical knowledge to optimise patient care.
-
A strong patient-focused approach, with the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
-
Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, enabling effective decision-making in an acute medical setting.
-
A proactive attitude, with a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
-
A strong alignment with NHS Lothian’s values and a willingness to contribute to our dynamic team.
About NHS Lothian
At NHS Lothian, we are committed to fostering equality, diversity, and inclusion in our workforce. Serving a population of 900,000, we are the second-largest health system in Scotland and home to one of its four teaching boards. Join a dynamic organisation that values innovation, research, and excellence in healthcare delivery.
The vision for the Pharmacy & Medicines service is to deliver clinically led, person-centred services to ensure patients across Lothian get the best from their medicines and pharmacy services. We are focussed on creating an environment where each person in the team has the opportunity to flourish, develop and make best use of their skills.
This is more than just a jobit’s an opportunity to elevate your career while making a real difference in the lives of patients.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
For further information on what is included in the role and the skills/experience we’re looking for, please refer to the job description and person specification linked below. However, we understand that there's only so much a job pack can convey. If you’d like to learn more about this exciting role, the team you’ll be joining, or the opportunities available, we warmly encourage you to get in touch with the hiring manager. This is a great chance to have an informal discussion, ask questions, and explore how this role aligns with your career goals. The service will also consider flexible working where it can be accommodated.
Get in touch today to start the conversationwe’d love to hear from you!
Contact: Heather Kelly |Advanced Clinical Pharmacist | West Lothian Mental Health, Tel: email: [email protected]
or
Carol Holmes | HSCP Lead Pharmacist | West Lothian Health & Social Care Partnership, Tel: email: [email protected]
To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.
Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.
We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.