Senior Officer (Pharmacy, Optometry and Dental) in Exeter inExeter PUBLISHED THU 12 JUN 2025 Jump to job information section

NHS Devon's Pharmacy, Optometry and Dental (POD) Commissioning Team is working to deliver some of the most high profile and challenging healthcare initiatives for Devon's patient population, in partnership with service providers, local authorities and neighbouring healthcare systems. As part of a newly formed team, this role will contribute to a broad, interesting and crucial portfolio of work, with the opportunity to achieve important and tangible improvements to services for our patients.

You will be a member of a small, tight-knit part of NHS Devon's wider Primary Care Team, contributing to improving services in key areas such as:

Implementation of the national Pharmacy First service - key to the sustainability of community pharmacy and creating capacity in Primary Care

Improving access to dental care - through a focus on expanding provision of urgent dental care, and commissioning of parallel services to ensure that those who most need to see a dentist, can see a dentist.

Supporting a suite of specialist dental offers - these will include prevention and oral health initiatives for children and young people and dental service provision to vulnerable populations in Devon

Understand opportunities and issues for primary care optometry providers and support pathway development

You will be key in organising and monitoring the team's delivery against its priorities and workplan, working with a wide selection of interested stakeholders, including patients, members of parliament, local authorities and healthcare partners. You will analyse and interpret data, create and maintain workplans and feed into regular reports, papers and responses to patient, MP and media enquiries.

The volume of work is large, and the pace is fast. Priorities often shift and there will be a need to adapt and regularly reprioritise. However, you will be part of an exciting, supportive and conscientious wider team with a collaborative and enthusiastic approach to work and our objectives.

About us

• The Post holder is a key member of the team whose overarching goal is to enable, promote and support the effective use of data, information, knowledge and technology to improve, inform and support a portfolio of projects, services, and initiatives within the POD team.
• The post holder will undertake reporting and analysis of information to support delivery contributing to effective information management within the team and use information/project analysis as agreed with function lead(s).
• Support implementation of project, service, initiative through timely and relevant information analysis and administrative support, in accordance with the agreed priorities of the Team.
• Participate in relevant internal and external working groups/projects to provide information/analyst advice and support and to maintain data collection systems.
• Provides information to project lead on project and statistical information matters. This includes analysing and reporting on data and monitor the processing of data and information.
• Process and respond to contractor and NHSE queries.
• Support processes associated with access, resilience, contractual challenges and change. This includes provision of advice, process management, production of formal documents.
• Maintain and develop team Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
• Contribute to production of enhanced service and comparable specification / documents, along with the production of pilot, initiative, atypical service documents.
• Regularly prepare comprehensive draft reports, data and letters including recommendation papers for senior review.
• Liaise effectively and work collaboratively with Collaborative Commissioning Hub colleagues.
• The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Department and the Organisation. The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager.

Please see the attached Job description and person specification for full details of the role and responsibilities

Eligibility to Work in the UK Important Information NHS Devon does not currently hold a sponsorship license to support visa applications. We have been able to successfully meet our recruitment needs without the requirement for visa sponsorship. As such, we are only able to consider applications from candidates who already have the appropriate legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce and welcome applications from all qualified individuals who meet this requirement. Thank you for your understanding.