Medication Lead

Who We Are & What We Stand For

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.

We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.

We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.

At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.

Leading safer practice, empowering greater independence.

The Enablement and Independence Service supports adults across Gateshead to live as independently as possible by providing a wide range of personcentred care and support. This includes buildingbased services, outreach, and domiciliary support, many of which are regulated by the Care Quality Commission. The service focuses on helping people regain or develop daily living skills, promoting choice, dignity and control while ensuring safe, highquality care. Working across Care Homes, ActivityBased Care, GATES, Supported Living, Respite, Shared Lives and Home Care, the service plays a vital role in improving wellbeing, reducing reliance on longterm care and empowering people to achieve their fullest level of independence.

Championing safe medicines, supporting independent lives.

The Medication Lead plays a crucial role in ensuring the safe, effective and personcentred management of medicines across the Enablement and Independence Service. Working across a diverse range of regulated settings, the role provides clinical leadership, oversight and assurance in all aspects of medication practice. You will act as the service’s key specialist for medicines management, supporting staff, strengthening quality, and driving continuous improvement to ensure the best possible outcomes for the people we support.

Your expertise. Their independence. Our shared purpose.

What You Will Get To Do

As Medication Lead within the Enablement and Independence Service, you will:

• Lead on the safe and effective medication management across all Enablement and Independence services, including Rehabilitation services, community and building based services
• Ensure compliance with legislation, guidance, CQC regulations and organisational policies.
• Monitor and uphold high standards of medication practice, supporting approximately 250 staff across the service.
• Liaise with pharmacy providers and healthcare professionals to support safe practice.
• Complete monthly medication audits and maintain a clear audit trail for inspection and reporting.
• Analyse audit findings, identify areas for improvement and ensure actions are implemented.
• Deliver facetoface medication training for new and existing staff involved in administering or handling medicines.
• Conduct medication competency assessments at induction and at regular intervals.
• Maintain accurate training and competency records, identifying gaps in skills or knowledge.
• Identify, evaluate and share best practice in medicines management, providing updates and guidance to teams.
• Support reviews and updates of medication-related policies and procedures.
• Provide daytoday advice and support to staff regarding medication queries or concerns.
• Support the escalation of medication incidents or errors in line with safeguarding and risk procedures.
• Advise individual service users to ensure safe and effective medicines management.
• Champion a culture of safety, accountability, learning and continuous improvement in medication practice.
• Undertake any additional responsibilities appropriate to the grade of the post.
  
  

What You Will Bring

• A relevant degreelevel qualification with an active clinical license (e.g., Nurse, Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician) and over 5 years’ progressive clinical experience in regulated provider services.

Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to drive (after 12 months service).

Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services plus salary sacrifice options on white goods, electronics, and more, helping you spread the cost of essential purchases (after 6 months service).

Everyone's welcome here

Were an equal opportunities employer and aim to have a culture and a workplace where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected and empowered to do their best work. At Gateshead Council we're an employer who embraces, and welcomes diversity, who's truly inclusive and who demonstrates equality for all. We'll go the extra mile so that our approach is representative of the communities we serve and each other. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Ready to join us? Here's how

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, we’d love to hear from you.

You can apply online by pressing the apply now button. Within the form, you’ll be asked for details about you, your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications.

We advise you to be as detailed and specific as possible, paying particular attention to any of the above which are relevant to the role to which you are applying.

If you have any questions about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team via

Please note: As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. However, in high-volume recruitment situations, it may not always be practicable to interview every eligible candidate. In such cases, we may need to prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria, based on the information provided in the application.

Additionally, the Council reserves the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selectio

n, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.