Lead Clinical Pharmacist - Antimicrobial StewardshipNHS

Job summary

Are you an experienced pharmacist with a passion for antimicrobial stewardship and improving patient outcomes? We have an exciting opportunity to lead AMS services at Aintree University Hospital.

In this influential role, you will provide expert clinical leadership for antimicrobial stewardship and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services, driving safe, effective, and evidence-based antimicrobial use across a range of specialist clinical areas. Working alongside microbiologists, infectious diseases specialists, clinicians, nurses, and the wider multidisciplinary team, you will help shape antimicrobial strategy, reduce antimicrobial resistance, and improve patient care.

You will lead and develop a dedicated team of pharmacists and technical staff, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, patient-centred service while supporting innovation, education, governance, and service improvement.

The successful candidate will have substantial hospital pharmacy experience, specialist expertise in antimicrobial stewardship and infection management, and a proven ability to lead teams and develop services. This is an excellent opportunity to influence practice, drive innovation, and play a key role in delivering outstanding care for patients with complex infections

Main duties of the job

Provide senior clinical leadership for Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) services, ensuring the safe, effective, and evidence-based use of antimicrobials across the organisation. Deliver expert pharmaceutical input to antimicrobial stewardship ward rounds, multidisciplinary meetings, and infection management reviews.

Lead the development and delivery of AMS and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services, driving improvements in patient outcomes, reducing antimicrobial resistance, and supporting innovative models of care.

Manage and develop the AMS and OPAT pharmacy teams, ensuring a high-quality, patient-centred service. Work closely with microbiology, infectious diseases, nursing, and medical colleagues to deliver integrated care and support service improvement.

Provide leadership for medicines optimisation, governance, audit, quality improvement, and risk management related to antimicrobial use. Support compliance with local and national antimicrobial stewardship standards and promote the efficient use of medicines.

Deliver specialist education and training to pharmacy, medical, nursing, and multidisciplinary teams. Support workforce development, contribute to research and service evaluation, and promote innovation to enhance patient safety, clinical effectiveness, and patient experience.

Job description

Strategic Leadership of Antimicrobial Stewardship Services

• Lead the strategic direction, planning, and long-term development of Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) and OPAT services across the organisation.
• Shape the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative, patient-centred antimicrobial services that align with Trust priorities, national stewardship standards, and best practice guidance.
• Work collaboratively with microbiologists, infectious diseases specialists, senior nurses, consultants, and operational leaders to optimise antimicrobial use and improve patient outcomes.
• Provide professional leadership for antimicrobial stewardship programmes, supporting the reduction of antimicrobial resistance and delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care.

Service Development & Workforce Management

• Develop and implement robust systems, governance processes, and service structures that support high-quality AMS and OPAT services.
• Provide effective day-to-day leadership, ensuring appropriate staffing, workload management, and prioritisation across the AMS pharmacy team.
• Lead service evaluation and performance monitoring, identifying opportunities to improve safety, clinical effectiveness, efficiency, and patient experience.
• Drive the development and expansion of OPAT and infection management services to support patients across inpatient and outpatient settings.

Training, Education & Workforce Development

• Lead the training, competency development, and advanced practice progression of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other members of the pharmacy workforce working within AMS and OPAT services.
• Provide specialist teaching and support to rotational pharmacists, foundation trainees, independent prescribers, and postgraduate learners.
• Deliver antimicrobial stewardship and infection management education to medical, nursing, and multidisciplinary colleagues.
• Support Trust-wide education programmes that promote safe prescribing, medicines optimisation, and responsible antimicrobial use.

Collaboration & Interface Working

• Work closely with primary care, community services, integrated care partners, and secondary care colleagues to ensure safe and effective antimicrobial management across care settings.
• Lead the development of shared care pathways, OPAT protocols, and antimicrobial guidance that support seamless transitions of care.
• Ensure robust communication of medicines-related information to support continuity of care and reduce avoidable treatment delays.
• Promote integrated working and best use of antimicrobial therapies across organisational and professional boundaries to deliver high-quality patient-centred care.

About us

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page.