Welcome to Next Phase Recruitment! Please see below our current jobs that match your search criteria. For a broader job search please visit the home page or call us on 01403 216216 to discuss career options in other areas of Life Science and Technology.

Welcome to Next Phase Recruitment! Please use the above link to see our current jobs that match your search criteria. For a broader job search please visit the home page or call us on 01403 216216 to discuss career options in other areas of Life Science and Technology.

Qualified Person

A Qualified Person (QP) operates within the quality assurance function of a pharmaceutical company and has a crucially important role because he or she takes legal responsibility for certifying that batches of medicines are safe prior to release. This “batch release” refers to the release of medicines to be used in either clinical trials or for sale in the commercial market.

Qualified Persons must be nominated by certain regulatory bodies, one of which is the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, to certify that they are eligible for the role. In the UK and most of Europe, nominations for QP status are subsequently approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which has the final say as to who can​​ be named a Qualified Person within pharmaceutical manufacture. In order to be nominated as a QP, applicants must have an in depth understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, combined with extensive training that covers a number of different modules.

In a recent blog (bit.ly/2syLrq) Next Phase Recruitment Specialist Julie Nicholls explains that new EU Regulations coming into force soon will mean that medical device companies will now also need to appoint a Qualified Person. This will have significant implications for the UK market, where QPs are already in short supply. An experienced Qualified Person will often prefer to work on a consultancy basis, for the variety of work, significant daily pay rates, and ability to work with a number of different clients at the same time.

Skills and Experience required to become a QP

Typically a QP will need the following skills and experience:-

-     Degree level education in a scientific discipline such as pharmacy, chemistry, biomedical science

-     Nomination as a QP by a relevant regulatory body plus MHRA approval

-     Detailed understanding of pharmaceutical law, quality management systems and the professional duties of a QP

-     Substantial experience within the pharmaceutical industry

-     Statistical and mathematical skills

-     In-depth understanding of the manufacture and supply chain

-     Leadership skills

Salary Level

Pay rates for QPs vary enormously depending on where they are based and their main areas of specialisation (e.g. IMP / commercial). A recently-registered Qualified Person may command a salary of £55k - £70k initially, but this can increase quickly to £75k - £95k once the QP has some post-qualification experience. Similarly, QP contract rates can vary a great deal. QP pay rates can be anything from £650 / day to £1,100 / day depending on the length and complexity of the contract, and this may also vary depending on what additional skills the QP can provide (such as a background in Pharmacy, for example).

Feltham

Feltham is a town in the west London Borough of Hounslow, approximately 13 miles from central London and 2 miles from Heathrow Airport.   Due to its close proximity to Heathrow airport, one of the busiest international airports in the world, one of the largest business sectors and employers in the area is logistics.  Even before the development of Heathrow airport, Feltham had been associated with both rail and air transport for many years.  Large numbers of aircraft were manufactured in the area, particularly during World War 2, and the town was also a major centre for rail freight.  The borough of Hounslow is also a technology hub, with hi-tech companies accounting for nearly 20% of all businesses.   Although many people work locally, Feltham’s good rail and road connections into London make it a popular commuter area too.

Famous people from Feltham:  Freddie Mercury, lead singer with Queen grew up in Feltham and Jimmy Carr, comedian was born nearby.