Are you an active clinical Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician looking to bring your sector expertise to a national level? The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is recruiting Specialist Advisors – Medicines to support its inspection and assessment programme across England.
This ad-hoc, flexible role allows you to remain in your current clinical practice while shaping the safety, quality, and effectiveness of healthcare services nationwide.
Key Role Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Specialist Advisor – Medicines (Pharmacists & Pharmacy Technicians) |
| Organisation | Care Quality Commission (CQC) |
| Daily Rate | £300/day (£268 base rate + £32 holiday pay) |
| Location | Remote (UK-wide) with on-site inspection visits |
| Working Pattern | Flexible / Ad-hoc (Minimum 2 full assessments per 12 months) |
| Contract Type | Casual Worker or Secondment |
| Closing Date | Sunday 11th October 2026 at 11:59 pm |
What You Will Do
As a Specialist Advisor, you will work alongside CQC inspection teams to evaluate medicines management and clinical care quality:
- Provide Expert Advice: Deliver clear, objective written and verbal advice on medicines optimization and clinical safety.
- On-Site Inspections: Accompany CQC teams on visits to healthcare providers (typically 1–3 days per assessment).
- Evidence Analysis: Conduct clinical searches, review patient records, and evaluate provider documentation.
- Report Quality Assurance: Review draft inspection reports to ensure findings, ratings, and recommendations are evidence-based and aligned with regulatory standards.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for this role, you must meet the following criteria:
- Professional Registration: Active, valid registration with the GPhC.
- Current Practice: Must be substantively employed and active in current clinical practice.
- Experience Required:
- Pharmacists: Minimum of 5 years post-registration experience within your specialist sector.
- Pharmacy Technicians: Minimum of 7 years post-registration experience within your specialist sector.
- Sector Expertise: Proven track record in at least one key area:
- Clinical searches & record reviews in NHS primary care
- Community health services
- Dispensing doctors
- Independent health services (including online digital health)
- Organisation Rating (if seconded/salaried): If employed by a CQC-registered provider, your organization must currently hold a rating of “Good” or “Outstanding”.
Flexible Working Options
You can undertake this role in one of two ways:
- Casual Worker: Paid directly by the CQC for attending inspections in your own time (e.g., non-working days or annual leave).
- Secondment: Arranged with your employer (if CQC-registered), where your home organization receives the £300/day rate to cover your release time.
Note: Assessment opportunities are offered on an ad-hoc basis with up to 6 weeks’ advance notice where possible. You are under no obligation to accept a specific assessment if it conflicts with your schedule.
How to Apply
- Prepare your application demonstrating your clinical background and regulatory awareness.
- Ensure all statements reflect your own authentic professional experience (AI-generated content or plagiarism will result in disqualification).
- Submit your application before 11:59 pm on Sunday 11th October 2026.
For queries or reasonable adjustment requests, contact the team at temprecruitment@cqc.org.uk.