Q&A: Celebrating World Pharmacists Day
At FDB, we’re proud to have pharmacists at the heart of our work, bringing their expertise and diverse experiences to everything we do. This World Pharmacists Day, we’re celebrating their journeys and the vital role they play in shaping the future of healthcare.
What inspired you to pursue pharmacy?
At secondary school, we had a dedicated careers department, and everyone was given the chance to sit down to explore possible career paths and work experience opportunities. At around age 15, I spent my placement in a local independent pharmacy – an experience I still remember vividly. Some of my fondest memories include wearing the white lab coat, carefully peeling labels off of brown glass tablet bottles and using a tablet hopper to count out dusty Paracetamol tablets from enormous tubs. It was at that moment I knew: becoming a pharmacist was the career I wanted to pursue.
Looking back, I believe that giving children the chance to explore different workplaces and talk openly about career options is invaluable. These experiences spark inspiration and can shape their future aspirations.
Can you tell me a bit about your career path as a pharmacist and how it led you to FDB?
After qualifying as a pharmacist, I began my career with Boots the Chemist, initially as a Relief Pharmacist before quickly progressing to Store Manager. I loved the variety of the role – from rearranging store layouts and managing stock to updating displays and learning about the latest pharmacy products. At the time, there was growing discussion about the future of pharmacy being more clinical, so I took the opportunity to move away from store management and in 2000, joined FDB as a Clinical Pharmacist in Multilex.
I found learning the clinical aspects of medicines fascinating, which led me to complete a Clinical Diploma with Keele University. At that time, FDB’s work focused mainly on GP prescribing, but there was growing exploration of what was considered the future: hospital electronic systems.
Once I completed my diploma, I left FDB to pursue a career in primary care, joining the local NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) as a Prescribing Support Pharmacist. This was seen as ground-breaking at the time, though it is now routine. My responsibilities included working with prescribing leads, developing and implementing incentive schemes, analysing prescribing data (ePACT), producing reports, conducting medicines waste audits, reviewing prescribing in nursing homes and more.
The largest practice in the PCT required the most support, and I built strong relationships with its GPs, nurses and wider team. Supplementary prescribing was in its infancy and I was fortunate to be mentored by the Prescribing Lead, a respiratory specialist, while completing my Prescribing qualification at the University of Bath. This gave me the opportunity to work closely with asthma nurses, manage patients as a supplementary prescriber and contribute to improving respiratory care. I later completed the additional course to become an independent Pharmacist Prescriber. I also undertook a secondment as a Domiciliary Pharmacist on a long-term conditions pilot, working with community matrons and multidisciplinary teams.
During this period, I started a family and had two children (in 2006 and 2009), balancing my professional and personal life while navigating a changing NHS landscape – from smaller PCTs to mergers and eventually to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).
By 2017, I had gained a wealth of experience across primary care, working in a variety of evolving NHS roles. While proud to have been part of demonstrating the value of pharmacists in primary care, I was ready for a new challenge. In 2018, I returned to FDB, rejoining the Multilex team. Since then, my career has progressed from Clinical Pharmacist to Senior Pharmacist, Team Leader, Principal Clinical Pharmacist, and most recently, a secondment role.
FDB has grown and evolved significantly too, expanding its solutions across prescribing, primary and secondary care. Being part of FDB gives me the opportunity to engage with pioneering healthcare developments and it’s a journey I continue to love.
Do you have any advice for individuals seeking a career in pharmacy, especially those looking to move into a more healthcare technology career?
When I first qualified as a Pharmacist, I could never have imagined the role I hold today or the career path I’ve taken. At the time, I assumed I’d be working in a traditional pharmacy, behind the counter, preparing medicines out of sight of customers. How things have changed!
The rise of computer technology has transformed every aspect of my career in pharmacy. From labelling medicines and recording patient information, to communicating with other healthcare professionals, sharing patient records, and accessing clinical information to support decisions – technology has been central to improving practice. These advances have ultimately enabled safer, more cost-effective prescribing and truly evidence-based, patient-centred care.
The pace of healthcare technology today is extraordinary, particularly with the growth of AI. For anyone interested in pursuing a career in this area, my advice would be: stay curious, ask questions, seek out opportunities to visit healthcare technology organisations and express your interest. Let your curiosity and love of learning guide your journey.
World Pharmacists Day is the perfect chance to celebrate the diverse, non-traditional roles pharmacists now hold – roles that continue to evolve alongside healthcare itself.
