Specialist Pharmacist - Clinical Trials

Job summary

Band 8a Specialist Pharmacist, Clinical Trials Sutton Fixed Term role

Location: Sutton (Expected to provide cross-site coverage if needed)

A fantastic opportunity has emerged for a passionate, highly motivated, and dynamic Specialist Pharmacist clinical trial, to join the pharmacy clinical trials team at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust for 12 months fixed term contract. This is an exciting time to join the Royal Marsden Hospital Clinical Trials Department. Our service is built around providing a high-quality service to our patients and staff of the Trust. This position will be based in Sutton but will require working at our Chelsea site, when necessary, to ensure consistent coverage and maintain the quality and speed of service during absences and annual leave. Applicants should have previous experience in clinical trials, and a background in oncology or haemato-oncology would be advantageous. You will be part of a team consisting of Pharmacists, Technicians and Assistants, who are always striving for excellence in all aspects of our work. We are working collaboratively as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team to ensure we always deliver outstanding care to our patients. Our team continues to support the research strategy of taking personalized cancer treatment to the next level, with approximately 380 active IMP studies and increasingly complex new clinical trials across all specialties, including gene therapies and cellular therapies studies.

Main duties of the job

• To maintain and support the Clinical Trials service in accordance with current UK Clinical Trial Regulations, the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) regulation 2004 (EU Clinical Trial Directive) and all updates, together with ICH GCP guidelines and departmental procedures, ensuring provision of a high-quality service to patients and staff at the Royal Marsden.
• To be responsible for managing and coordinating all aspects of Clinical Trials Pharmacy Dispensary/ Day Units/ Wards at Sutton and Chelsea as required, to ensure that the supply of Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) is undertaken in accordance with current legislation and best practice guidelines, ensuring appropriate handling of IMP in order to safeguard patients, staff and the Trust.
• To provide highly specialised pharmaceutical and clinical advice to all trial medicines, including phase 1 to phase 4 and Advance Therapy Investigational Medicinal Products (ATIMP) across all specialisms, to senior medical and nursing staff.
• To work closely with the research team and provide high specialist advise in prescribing and management of adverse events of IMP in line with the clinical trial protocol.
• To lead on pharmaceutical and clinical issues relating to trial medicines management within the Dispensary/ Day Units/ Wards at Sutton and Chelsea as required ensuring adherence to national guidelines and medicines legislation.

About us

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Date posted: 16 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £59,490 to £66,239 a year per annum

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 282-SB375

Job locations: The Royal Marsden Sutton, Sutton, SM2 5PT

Job description Job responsibilities

• Responsible for ensuring that all pharmacy aspects of Clinical Trials are carried out to the highest practicable standards of ICH Good Clinical Practice Guidelines and statutory national guidance.
• This post will be responsible for leading and managing the Clinical Trials services ensuring all Clinical Trial patients receive the best, personalised, safe care on time.
• Ensure the appropriate handling of trial medication in order to safeguard patients, staff and the Trust.
• To proactively develop the pharmacy service setting in line with trust agreed priorities and regional and national objectives, identifying opportunities for the development of pharmacy services to match identified service and care needs. Promote the on-going Trust initiative to continually improve the Clinical Trials services and patient experience.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications Essential

• GPhC registration
• MSc/Diploma Pharmacy Practice or equivalent qualification/experience
• Good Clinical Practice Training and knowledge

Desirable

• Non-medical prescriber

Experience Essential

• Significant experience post-registration hospital pharmacy experience
• Clinical Trials experience
• Aseptics experience

Desirable

• Oncology or Haemato-Oncology Pharmacy experience
• Clinical audit experience

Skills Abilities/knowledge Essential

• Evidence of effective interpersonal skills for team working with particular ability to liaise with multidisciplinary team members
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Ability to demonstrate self-motivation, problem solving skills and ability to work without supervision
• Good leadership qualities: Able to take initiative, responsibility and to delegate effectively
• Ability to make decisions, organise and prioritise
• Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining attention to detail and accuracy
• Evidence of understanding the NHS Plan
• Ability to pioneer, initiate and implement change
• Evidence of training other members of staff
• Evidence of commitment to customer care initiatives
• Experience of investigating incidents and managing risk
• Computer Literacy (e.g.: Microsoft Word and Outlook)

Desirable

• Published Research

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 (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Address: The Royal Marsden Sutton, Sutton, SM2 5PT

Employer's website: https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/working-royal-marsden (Opens in a new tab)