ADHD Specialist Pharmacist

Job summary

Are you an experienced Independent Prescribing Pharmacist looking for a flexible clinical role?

Brighton and Hove Federation is looking for an ADHD Specialist Pharmacist to join our NHS Sussex Primary Care Connect ADHD Service on a casual, flexible basis, offering £45 per hour.

This role offers the opportunity to work flexibly around your existing commitments, with sessions offered according to service need and your availability. You do not need to commit to a fixed number of hours or a fixed weekly working pattern.

The postholder will provide specialist ADHD medication prescribing for adults diagnosed through the service, including medication initiation, titration, optimisation and stabilisation, alongside preparation for transfer to GP prescribing under the Sussex Shared Care Agreement.

Full service-specific ADHD training will be provided, together with clinical supervision and ongoing peer support. Previous experience of working within an ADHD or neurodevelopmental service is desirable but not essential.

This is an excellent opportunity for pharmacists who want to develop their ADHD prescribing experience while maintaining maximum flexibility around their existing professional commitments.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will provide safe, evidence-based and person-centred pharmacological treatment for adults with ADHD.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Undertaking clinical and physical assessment before ADHD medication is commenced.
• Initiating ADHD medication safely and appropriately.
• Undertaking medication titration and optimisation.
• Reviewing treatment response, functional outcomes, adverse effects and physical health monitoring.
• Making autonomous prescribing decisions within scope of competence and the service medication protocol.
• Prescribing and managing Schedule 2 controlled ADHD medication safely.
• Recognising and appropriately managing clinical risk and escalating concerns where required.
• Assessing complex presentations, including cardiovascular and mental health considerations, medication interactions and substance misuse risks.
• Supporting patients to understand medication benefits, risks, monitoring requirements and treatment goals.
• Assessing readiness for stabilisation and transfer to GP prescribing under the Sussex Shared Care Agreement.
• Providing specialist advice to GPs regarding ADHD medication.
• Undertaking or contributing to annual specialist medication reviews.
• Maintaining accurate and contemporaneous clinical records.
• Working closely with ADHD diagnostic clinicians, GPs, SPFT clinical supervisors, pharmacists and the wider multidisciplinary team.
• Participating in clinical supervision, MDT discussion, audit, quality improvement and service development.

About us

Brighton and Hove GP Federation is a practice owned organisation working at city scale to strengthen general practice and support a sustainable local health system. It enables GP practices to collaborate where this adds value, while remaining independent, locally accountable and clinically led.

The Federation delivers services and shared infrastructure at scale, reducing duplication and managing shared operational and financial risk. By coordinating delivery and investment, it supports practices to focus on patient care while addressing system pressures collectively. It works closely with member practices, PCNs, the Integrated Care Board and partners to develop practical, longterm solutions aligned with NHS values.

Any surplus generated is reinvested locally to support the workforce, strengthen primary care and build resilience, without private profit extraction. Membership provides access to shared services, collective problem solving and a stronger voice within the wider system.

The Federations work is guided by collaboration, sustainability, quality, equity and innovation, with the sole purpose of helping general practice thrive now and in the future.

Job responsibilities

• £45 per hour
• Casual and genuinely flexible working
• Ability to work sessions around your existing commitments
• Hybrid working, including remote appointments where clinically appropriate
• Full service-specific ADHD training
• Clinical supervision from designated SPFT clinical supervisors
• Peer support and MDT working
• Opportunities to develop specialist ADHD prescribing experience
• Supportive clinical governance arrangements
• The opportunity to contribute to the development of an innovative NHS ADHD service

The service has established clinical supervision arrangements, with pharmacists expected to participate in supervision and seek specialist advice where cases involve significant complexity, uncertainty or clinical risk.

Person specification

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-registration pharmacy experience relevant to clinical practice.
• Experience of clinical assessment and medication review.
• Experience of prescribing and medicines optimisation.
• Experience of assessing and managing patients with complex clinical needs and recognising clinical risk.
• Good working knowledge of ADHD pharmacological treatment, including medication selection, initiation, titration, optimisation, monitoring and discontinuation.
• Understanding of controlled drug prescribing and associated governance.
• Experience of working effectively within a multidisciplinary clinical environment.

Desirable

• Previous experience within an ADHD or neurodevelopmental service.
• Experience of prescribing or managing ADHD medication.
• Experience of working with shared-care arrangements across primary and secondary care.
• Experience of clinical audit and quality improvement.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Excellent clinical assessment and decision-making skills.
• Ability to prescribe autonomously and safely within scope of competence.
• Ability to recognise and manage clinical risk and identify when escalation is required.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex clinical information clearly and sensitively.
• Ability to support effective shared decision-making.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to maintain accurate and contemporaneous clinical records.
• Ability to recognise the limits of own competence and seek appropriate advice or supervision.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and eligible to practise in the UK.
• Independent Prescriber qualification.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and maintenance of clinical and prescribing competence.
• Minimum two years' experience of prescribing as an independent prescriber within scope of competence.
• Evidence of competence in clinical assessment, prescribing and medicines optimisation.

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification in clinical pharmacy or equivalent.