Lead Pharmacist and Non-Medical Prescriber

My Career in Pharmacy

I work as part of a large MDT (Multidisciplinary Team), and in my role I undertake clinics to manage the titration and monitoring of medication prescribed for children with ADHD (attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder) and ASD (autism spectrum disorder).

What does your role involve and what does a typical day/week look like?

I have completed my independent prescribing qualification and as such I independently assess, monitor and titrate medication in my scope of practice which is mainly ADHD, but also symptoms associated with ASD (such as difficulty with sleep). During my clinic I check a child’s weight, height, blood pressure and pulse, and gather information from multiple sources including parents / carers, the child and their school in order to make clinical decisions around their medication. My typical week involves 3 clinics, where I typically see 5 patients per clinic. I manage my own case load and write clinic letters for each child that I see. I am also available to our clinicians for any medication related queries, and I also participate in clinical supervision with other members of our MDT to discuss difficult patient cases. Along with one of my colleagues, I also manage all of the repeat prescriptions for the children within our service.

Why did you chose a career in the Neurodevelopmental Service?

My background is in paediatrics, and I find working with children really rewarding. My role is entirely clinical, which is really interesting and varied, no day is the same in ND! I am very passionate about Neurodiversity, and find the management really interesting. I like that my role is very independent, but with loads of support from our team which includes paediatricians, psychiatrists, specialist nurses, health care support workers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and (most importantly!) our admin team.

What is your educational and career background that led you to your current position?

I completed my Masters degree in Pharmacy in Liverpool John Moore’s University, I graduated in 2018. I did my pre-registration year based in Neath Port Talbot Hospital, and successfully passed the GPhC registration exam in 2019 and registered as a pharmacist. I have always worked in secondary care, and started my career as a diploma pharmacist in Princess of Wales Hospital, where I rotated through multiple specialities while completing my Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy with Cardiff University. It was during this time I had my first experience of working in Paediatrics, and loved it! On completion of my diploma in 2021, I was successful in obtaining a rotational Clinical

Pharmacist position in Prince Charles Hospital, quickly followed by my position as the Lead Pharmacist for Paediatrics, Education and Training in 2022. I then went on to do my Postgraduate CPD module in Advanced Paediatric Pharmacy Practice with Liverpool John Moores University in 2022, and completed my Independent Prescribing Module with Cardiff University in 2023. During this time I was also acting as the Training Programme Director for the Foundation Pharmacist Programme at our hospital site, and personally supported 3 trainee pharmacists that went on to successfully complete their registration assessments and join the register as qualified pharmacists. With the support of the amazing paediatricians that I worked with in Prince Charles Hospital, the opportunity came up to support clinics as an independent prescriber for the ND service, which I did for 50% of my time until I was successful in obtaining my full time role within ND in 2024.

What advice would you give to someone looking for a job in Pharmacy?

Think outside the box! There are more opportunities for Pharmacists and the role is always evolving, especially in clinical roles like my own. Don’t think of a pharmacist as just someone who works in a community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy or industry, look for opportunities and always be curious. Pharmacy is a really rewarding career that can lead you in so many different directions and specialities.

What are your next steps or future career aspirations?

The next step for me is to complete my consultancy portfolio with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society which I am currently working towards, with the aim of becoming a consultant pharmacist within the next 5 years.