Dive into the world of pharmacy entrepreneurship with this inspiring episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast! Ashley Kay Pendrick takes us on a thrilling ride through her professional evolution. From the halls of pharmacy school to the exciting realm of entrepreneurship, Ashley's story is one of resilience, creativity, and passion.

Ashley's story resonates with many young pharmacists: the struggle to find fulfillment, the endless job applications, and the creeping dread of burnout. She paints a vivid picture of a profession grappling with challenges, but also brimming with untapped potential. Through her own experiences and those of her clients, Ashley illustrates how pharmacists can pivot from burnout to bliss. 

It is packed with practical advice for pharmacists considering a pivot to consulting or entrepreneurship. We dive deep into the importance of community in professional growth, sharing our experiences in building supportive networks. We explore the nuances of finding your niche, leveraging unique skills, and overcoming the fear of stepping out of traditional roles.

This episode dives into Ashley's brainchild, the Bright Side Consulting Community. You’ll find out what she’s building, why she’s building it and also how she’s doing it! The conversation wraps up with exciting details about Ashley's upcoming webinar and an exclusive offer for podcast listeners to join the Bright Side Consulting Community.

Whether you're a seasoned pharmacist looking for a change, a recent graduate exploring options, or simply curious about the intersection of pharmacy and entrepreneurship, this episode promises to inform, inspire, and ignite your professional passion. Tune in for a dose of motivation and practical wisdom.

Sign up to our FREE community called Behind The Mic!  We are excited to engage with you and provide you with the support & guidance you need to get started. 

Register here: https://behindthemic.circle.so/ 

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Use this⁠⁠ link⁠⁠ to get 70% off your first year of Audiio pro

🚀 Check out our Amazon storefront dedicated to podcasting gear! We will keep adding/reviewing the list but there’s a selection of microphones, audio interfaces, and more to help you elevate your podcasting game.

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CONNECT WITH ASHLEY: LinkedIn: ⁠Ashley Kay Pendrick⁠ Sign up to the Shine Bright ⁠Newsletter⁠

Follow me on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

Prepare to be inspired as we sit down with Surayyah Aziz, an exceptional pharmacy student whose journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Surayyah’s passion for science, combined with her family's guidance, steered her into the world of pharmacy, despite facing significant medical challenges during her school years. 

Her academic achievements are impressive, with 5 A-Levels at A* A* A* A B, complemented by hands-on experience at leading organisations like GSK, Pfizer, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Surayyah shares her fascination with pharmaceutical engineering, biophysics, and nanotechnologies, exploring how these fields can revolutionise drug development, particularly for neurological cancers.

Key achievements:

• Becoming a scientific researcher published in a Harvard GSAS journal in the field of astrophysics, and receiving the national IRIS Best Researcher Award for this work.

• Being selected as a recipient of the Women In STEM (WIS) scholarship funded by CEO at Procter and Gamble - Gary Coombe.

• Elected as president of Aston WEST (Women in Engineering, Science and Technology) Society for 2024-25.

Balancing mental well-being with academic and professional pursuits takes center stage as Surayyah discusses the impact of university counselling services and the support of meaningful relationships, such as that with her dedicated physics teacher. These connections have been instrumental in overcoming personal challenges and seizing unexpected opportunities. 

Tune in to hear about Surayyah’s inspiring journey, her insights on the future of pharmacy, and how she plans to contribute to a more equitable world through healthcare innovation.

Sign up to our FREE community called Behind The Mic!  We are excited to engage with you and provide you with the support & guidance you need to get started. 

Register here: https://behindthemic.circle.so/ 

SIGN UP to my NEWSLETTER below so you’ll be the first to know when new episodes are being released. You’ll also receive regular inspiration, tips, tools, and free content.

⁠https://pharmacistdiaries.ck.page/newsletter⁠

PARTNERSHIPS and DISCOUNTS:

The Naked Pharmacy is offering my podcast listeners a 20% discount on all their products. Use discount code PD20 at checkout to receive the offer.

⁠https://www.thenakedpharmacy.com/⁠

🎙️ Audiio: We used to spend (waste) ages looking for free royalty free music on the internet. If you’ve ever tried to find images, music or video that is unconditionally 100% free, you’ll know how difficult it is. We now use Audiio for all our music. 

Use this⁠ link⁠ to get 70% off your first year of Audiio pro

🚀 Check out our Amazon storefront dedicated to podcasting gear! We will keep adding/reviewing the list but there’s a selection of microphones, audio interfaces, and more to help you elevate your podcasting game.

🛒 Explore Our Storefront⁠ Here⁠

CONNECT WITH SURAYYAH:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/surayyah-amatul-aziz/ X: https://x.com/SUR4YY4H YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@medical-physics-girl?sub_confirmation=1

Follow me on⁠⁠⁠⁠ My Website⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠, and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I had the pleasure of interviewing Georgina Fihosy, a pharmacist and entrepreneur with a fascinating journey. Georgina shares her experiences transitioning from a hospital, to primary care and then working for Novartis while also running her own greeting card publishing company, AfroTouch Design, and being a mother of 3!

Georgina's journey into pharmacy began with a desire to help people, leading her to explore various specialties within the field. She found her passion in paediatrics and women's health, but eventually felt the need for more variety and challenge in her career. This led her to a role in a Primary Care Trust (PCT), where she worked on service improvement projects and prescribing practices.

During her maternity leave with her second child, Georgina discovered her entrepreneurial spirit and started creating handmade greeting cards. This creative outlet eventually evolved into her own business, AfroTouch Design. Despite the challenges of balancing her career at Novartis and running her business, Georgina's passion and dedication have driven her to success.

Throughout the episode, Georgina shared insights into the importance of: 

• following your gut instincts

• finding balance between work and personal life, and 

• the joys of pursuing creative endeavours. 

Her story serves as an inspiration for pharmacists looking to explore entrepreneurship and find fulfillment in their careers.

Join us as we delve into Georgina's journey, from hospital pharmacist to entrepreneur, and discover the power of passion and perseverance in building a successful career in pharmacy.

BEHIND THE MIC!

Have you been thinking about starting your own podcast?

We know that starting a podcast can feel daunting and overwhelming. But guess what? You’re not alone. We are on a mission to create a fantastic community of individuals just like you! Together, we'll break down the entire podcasting process—from ideation to recording, editing, technology, publishing, social media, marketing, branding, sponsorship and more.

Sign up to our FREE community called Behind The Mic! We are excited to engage with you and provide you with the support & guidance you need to get started.

Register here: https://behindthemic.circle.so/

SIGN UP to my NEWSLETTER below so you’ll be the first to know when new episodes are being released. You’ll also receive regular inspiration, tips, tools, and free content.

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PARTNERSHIPS:

The Naked Pharmacy is offering my podcast listeners a 20% discount on all their products. Use discount code PD20 at checkout to receive the offer.

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CONNECT WITH GEORGINA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-fihosy

Instagram: https://instagram.com/afrotouchdesign

Websites: https://www.afrotouch.design and https://georginafihosy.com/

Email: hello@afrotouch.design

Follow me on⁠⁠⁠ My Website⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, and/or⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

It’s the start of a new year and I am super excited to launch my first episode of 2023 with Tim Ulbrich on the podcast. Tim is the Co-Founder and CEO of Your Financial Pharmacist (YFP), an online platform for education, products, and services designed to help pharmacists achieve financial freedom. Tim’s journey into life as an entrepreneur has been incredibly inspiring for me personally. It was an absolute honour to record this podcast episode with him and I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to get to know each other through the podcast.

Tim received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Ohio Northern University in 2008 and completed postgraduate residency training at The Ohio State University in 2009. Prior to making the move to work full-time on Your Financial Pharmacist, Tim spent 12 years in various academic positions at Northeast Ohio Medical University and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy.

After completing pharmacy school and residency training, Tim and his wife, Jess, had more than $200,000 of non-mortgage debt. Through self-taught financial education and hard work, Tim and Jess finished paying off $200,000 of debt in 2015. Shortly thereafter, Tim published a blog post outlining his debt repayment journey which was the start of Your Financial Pharmacist.

Tim is the host of the Your Financial Pharmacist Podcast and co-author of Seven Figure Pharmacist: How to Maximize Your Income, Eliminate Debt and Create Wealth. The podcast is AMAZING and there are currently 290 incredible episodes for you to check out. I am a huge fan of the Debt Free Episode stories that you can filter through the podcast page on the YFP website! I have been tuning into those episodes since 2017 when I was pregnant with Lilyanna and living in Abu Dhabi.

I am sure you will feel inspired listening to this episode! Go check it out now :)

Linkedin: @Tim Ulbrich

Instagram: @Yourfinancialpharmacist

Facebook: @The Your Financial Pharmacist Facebook Group

Website: Your Financial Pharmacist

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On this week’s episode, I am delighted to showcase the journey of a newly qualified pharmacist, Anthea Pryde. Anthea graduated from Kings College London (KCL) in 2019 and then successfully completed her trainee pharmacist year split between Lloyds Pharmacy and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). She is currently employed as a Supply Chain Study Lead at GSK and enjoying the start of her pharmacy career. What attracted me to inviting Anthea onto the podcast was her enthusiasm and curiosity to learning and exploring what pharmacy has to offer whilst she was a student. During her life student life, she definitely made the most of the opportunities around her and she tells us all about the benefits of doing this during our conversation. Below are some of the experiences and placements she enjoyed as a student: A 3-month research internship role at Pfizer UK as part of Anthea’s final year dissertation project. Project title: ‘Influence of punch tip surfaces on API adhesion’ (2018) A 6-week Editorial intern at PharmPress supporting updates to the British National Formulary (BNF) and Martindale Drug Reference texts (2018) Summer Placement at Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust (2018) Summer International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF) Research Internship Programme (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Healthcare Sciences, Boston, USA) (2017) Summer placement at Lloyds pharmacy (2016) We talk in depth about how the transferrable skills from these experiences helped her with applications and interviews, with specific reference to getting offered an industry trainee pharmacist position with very limited experience in that sector of pharmacy. Linkedin: @Anthea Pryde Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today’s episode I am delighted to introduce Pooja Pala to the podcast. Pooja has identified a way to combine her two passions of Pharmacy and Wellbeing into ONE very unique and exciting role! She is currently working as a Senior Clinical Pharmacist at The Pharmacist Network but part of this job involves supporting staff health & wellbeing which she tells us all about on the podcast.

***Please check out Episode 51 of the podcast to also hear from the Clinical Director at The Pharmacist Network, Ryan Smith***

Her experience as a pharmacist has been varied over the last 5 years. She started her journey in community pharmacy, transitioned over to a GP practice role, and then spent some time helping to set up COVID-19 vaccination clinics during the pandemic. She successfully completed her post-graduate diploma in clinical pharmacy and non-medical independent prescribing course during this time as well.

During her time in GP Practice, she spent a considerable amount of time supporting patients with mental health disorders, particularly depression. A lot of her consultations involved guiding patients to wean off their antidepressant therapy and part of this involved non-pharmacological advice. She felt very passionate about taking a holistic approach to wellbeing and trained to become a certified Meditation & Yin Yoga teacher and a Life Coach.

She is a big believer of dealing with the root cause rather than treating the symptoms. This belief led her to create the Essence of Energy Instagram Page. A platform that focuses on mindset, empowerment, positivity, doing what you love, and more…

Linkedin: @Pooja Pala

Instagram: @Essence.of.energy

Other links

Website: The Pharmacist Network

Please feel free to contact her directly via email at poojapala@hotmail.com for enquires of working together 1:2:1 or workshops and/or lunchtime sessions within your workplace.

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

**Please accept my sincere apologies when you watch the video version of this podcast. Part way through the recording, we faced an issue with one of the cameras and Meeta's video cuts out so you are only able to see my video and hear the all the audio. The content of the podcast is absolutely inspiring so please take the time to listen to the content as it is truly worth it*** 

On today’s episode I am excited to welcome Meeta Patel to the podcast. Meeta is a Senior Manager and Specialist Pharmacist in Theatres, Critical Care and Pain Management at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH). A role she is thoroughly passionate about and one that resonates with her personally due to a trauma she experienced at the start of her career as a pharmacist. She shares a very personal story of an injury that led to debilitating pain, lack of movement, and a huge setback in career progression. 

What is so wonderful and powerful about this story is Meeta's determination to improve her quality of life and return to her previous way of living. What she doesn't realise at the time is how this journey enables her to shift her career pathway as a pharmacist and open her mindset to alternative therapies AND developing a role as an entrepreneur! Meeta walks us through her healing journey and how she had to look outside of traditional medicine and try alternative therapies. She utlises several forms of therapy but she felt a strong connection to Reiki and decided to become a Reiki master. This then leads to the development of Infinity Aromatiqs and creating natural and homemade products such as candles, roll on oils and wax melts. 

Please go and check out her website and social media channels below! 

Linkedin: @Meeta Patel

Instagram: @Infinityaromatiqs

Website: Infinity Aromatiqs

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am thrilled to feature Aliyah Gordon to the podcast. Aliyah is a Lead Clinical Pharmacist for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She is very proud of her career progression to date despite a lot of negativity and disbelief from her mentors and educators. She shares an incredible and inspiring story behind this disbelief and how she overlooked this feedback and used self motivation and determination to become the best version of herself and achieve her goals.

Aliyah is also the Co-founder of the House of Medics. The House of Medics is a non-profit organisation that was created in 2019 by a group of professionals who either work in the healthcare industry or are passionate about healthcare. Members of this community include doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, radiographers, paramedics, mental health professionals, researchers, students… and more! Their mission is to equip every young person in the healthcare industry with the tools they need to flourish in their chosen field of endeavour. As one becomes successful, they can teach another to do the same!

The story behind House of Medics is inspiring and the community they have built is admirable. The group have achieved so much in a short space of time and I love the idea of utilising the opportunity for young people of different specialties and disciplines to genuinely interact. They are creating a medical society of the future – one where people can have real conversations and make meaningful connections, whilst learning and improving themselves through CPD and other opportunities.

Go check them out using the links below! 

Linkedin: @Aliyah Gordon

Linkedin: @House of Medics

House of Medics Website

Instagram: @wearehouseofmedics

Instagram: @Aliyahthepharmacist

YouTube: @House of Medics 

Twitter: @Houseofmedics

TikTok: @wearehouseofmedics

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. 

I am incredibly excited to launch this week’s episode! I am thrilled to introduce Stephanie Tyler to the podcast. She is a highly specialist pharmacist in HIV, Sexual and Reproductive Health, currently working at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in a very exciting and innovative role related to HIV PrEP implementation and Sexual Health. She has experience working at a national level with the HIV Pharmacy Association (HIVPA) as the regional representative for London and the Patient Information Lead. She is extremely passionate about her role and her curiosity to improve patient care through research and publication is truly inspiring. Our conversation covered a variety of topics: - An in depth discussion about why she chose certain hospitals and locations and the advantages and disadvantages of a large teaching hospital vs smaller district general hospital. - How she found this specialist area and what she loves about it - How to make your job rewarding - The challenges around talking to patients in such a sensitive specialist area and tactics she uses to ensure patients have a positive experience. - Service improvement and why we both adore this aspect of pharmacy - How she manages her time to achieve as much as she has! One example being how she managed to complete 6 posters and 1 oral presentation in one year! - Transiting from a band 6 pharmacist up to a band 8 and how these roles have differed There is so much more to this conversation than what I’ve stated above. I cannot wait for you to watch/listen! Social media Linkedin: @Stephanie Tyler Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am thrilled to feature Shilpa Patel on the podcast. Shilpa has spent most of her career in as a Community Pharmacist. After well over a decade of endless hours of hard work and feeling under valued and frustrated within her role, she walked out of the pharmacy on her lunch break and never looked back!

She wanted to take a break from pharmacy and decided to travel to India for a few months to think about her next steps and enjoy a much needed break. Before she left for her travels, she applied for a GP Practice Role alongside 400 other candidates. There were only 4 positions available and she was doubtful that she'd be offered the position. In her mind, she thought that hospital pharmacists would be more likely to get offered the position as their clinical knowledge was far superior to a community pharmacist.

Boy was she wrong! She was offered the job and later realised that community pharmacists are extremely valuable assets to a GP Practice and their skillset, knowledge and experience are perfect for these roles. She now has over 6 years of experience as a GP Practice Pharmacist and has hired multiple pharmacists to join her team. She has utilised a variety of transferrable skills from her community pharmacy experience and has also learnt and utilised several new skills along the way.

She has achieved an incredible amount in a short space of time and her attitude and enthusiasm to developing pharmacists in this relatively new area of practice is inspriring. She is now the Lead GP Prescribing Pharmacist Partner at WellBN. She is also a DPP & Mentor, Covid vaccination service lead, Digital Marketing lead, Practice Merger Lead, and Benzodiazepine Detox Specialist.

It was an honour to have a conversation with her. I hope you all enjoy it!

Linkedin: @Shilpa Patel

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am thrilled to share an inspiring conversation I had with Netta Tyler. Netta and I met in 2009 when I was working as a pre-registration pharmacist at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. She has been a loyal employee of the hospital for nearly two decades and has dedicated most of her career to the world of antimicorbials! In the last 4 years, her role has expanded where she spends part of her time working as a Specialist Antifungal Pharmacist at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Our conversation begins at the start of Netta's career where she decides to go on an adventure to Bermuda to work as a pharmacist. We share stories of the ups and downs of expat life. I enjoyed this discussion because we share similar opinions on international work experience and how these opportunities open our eyes to the different ways of practicing pharmacy compared to the traditional career pathways in the UK. During her time in Bermuda, Netta was also the President of the Bermunda Pharmaceutical Association.

Upon returning to the UK, Netta moved to Cambridgeshire and quickly found herself a pharmacy role at Royal Papworth Hospital. She transitions into a Specialist Antimicrobial Pharmacist role and she shares how this job has developed over time and how the antimicrobial team is slowly expanding with new and exciting opportunities for pharmacists  and pharmacy technicians.

It was great to re-connect with Netta after 10 years...one of the many reasons I love having this podcast!

Linkedin: @Netta Tyler

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am pleased to introduce Daniel James to the podcast. Daniel graduated from Liverpoorl John Moores University in 2012 and started his career as a community pharmacist. In these first few years, he found himself working well over his contracted 40 hour work week on a regular basis without pay. After two years of this, he took a step back and asked himself "is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?" A question I am sure many pharmacists ponder as this is a common theme in many pharmacy roles. At that time, Daniel decided to take a one year sabbatical from his career and went travelling abroad. We hear about his adventures and how he climbed Mount Everest, rode trains all across China, rode a motorbike from North to South Vietnam, and spent time in Tibet and Thailand. He utilised this time to dig deep and find his purpose in life and what he really wanted to do with it. He navigated through a traumatic problem with his eye, social anxiety and a lot of negative feelings. He then immersed himself into self development books and found a mindset coach to help him through the negativity and live his best life. Our conversation highlights the importance of understanding your purpose in life and making decisions that align with your values, beliefs and identity. He utilised his learning experience to become a certified coach and help others to transform their lives. Currently he is working part time as a locum community pharmacist which gives him the freedom to work the hours that align with his personal life as well as giving him time to work with coaching clients. The best of both worlds and a much happier and fulfilled life to lead... Facebook: @Daniel James Coach Twitter: @djamescoach LinkedIn: @Daniel Jame Coach Instagram: @Daniel.james.coach Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On this week's episode I enjoy a conversation with Joanna Kippax as part III of the sleep series. Joanna is a certified sleep practitioner, completing her training at Oxford University, Southampton University and the Children's sleep charity in Sheffield. She trained as a Registered General Nurse (RGN) at The Middlesex Hospital in London in 1986, and as a Registered Sick Children's Nurse (RSCN) at The Westminster Hospital, London in 1989. Most of Joanna's career has been spent working for the NHS in London and Hereford. She is also a member of The British Sleep Society, and a founder member of The British Society of Pharmacy Sleep Services (BSPSS).

During these years, Joanna has seen the negative impact and frustration that sleep disorders such as insomnia brings to peoples' lives. She utilised this experience and knowledge to branch out from the NHS and develop her own practice called Wye Sleep where she provides specialist sleep health services to individuals and groups. Clients report having more energy, improved mood and concentration and no longer find themselves thinking about sleep during their day, after completing the programme. The tools learned bring about long term, sustainable change, without the use of sleeping medication.

Sleep health is an emerging field and Joanna continues to keep up to date with the new research being published, passing this information onto her clients. She is passionate about her work and finds informing and supporting her clients to make alterations that can be life changing, so rewarding.

We hear all about her passion for helping people with sleep disorders and she focuses part of our conversation on specific tips for improving your sleep and why these are valuable for you. Examples include:

- waking up at the same time of day

- expose yourself to morning light

- building your sleep drive

- wind down routine

Joanna is also the founder and director of The Sleep Retreat. This is a two day luxury sleep retreat where you learn how to sleep better using practical tools, feel more energised and refreshed, and enjoy a boutique hotel in the process! She is currently in the process of organising a 2022/2023 retreat and details will be on her website linked above.

Instagram: @Wyesleep
Facebook: @Wyesleep

Twitter: @WyeSleep

LinkedIn: @Joanna Kippax

Website: Wye Sleep

Facebook: @BritishSleep

BSPSS website

In this episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast, I dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship within the pharmacy profession. Joined by Krysti-Lee Patterson, a pharmacist from Australia, the conversation explores the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from traditional pharmacy roles to entrepreneurship. Krysti-Lee and I discuss our personal journeys into pharmacy, highlighting the unexpected paths that led us to where they are today. Krysti-Lee shares her experience of starting her own business, Meitheal Services, and the process of pivoting her focus to meet the demands of the market. The conversation delves into the importance of passion in entrepreneurship, the value of pivoting business strategies, and the resilience required to navigate the ups and downs of starting a business. The episode also touches on the virtual upcoming Pharmacy Careers Summit in Australia, offering insights into the opportunities available for pharmacists looking to work abroad. We share our perspectives on the diverse career paths within pharmacy and the potential for growth and development in different settings. BEHIND THE MIC! Have you been thinking about starting your own podcast? We know that starting a podcast can feel daunting and overwhelming. But guess what? You’re not alone. We are on a mission to create a fantastic community of individuals just like you! Together, we'll break down the entire podcasting process—from ideation to recording, editing, technology, publishing, social media, marketing, branding, sponsorship and more. Sign up to our FREE community called Behind The Mic! We are excited to engage with you and provide you with the support & guidance you need to get started. Register here: https://behindthemic.circle.so/ SIGN UP to my NEWSLETTER below so you’ll be the first to know when new episodes are being released. You’ll also receive regular inspiration, tips, tools, and free content. https://pharmacistdiaries.ck.page/newsletter PARTNERSHIPS: The Naked Pharmacy is offering my podcast listeners a 20% discount on all their products. Use discount code PD20 at checkout to receive the offer. ⁠⁠⁠https://www.thenakedpharmacy.com/⁠⁠⁠ Healf is offering my podcast listeners a 10% discount on all their products. Use the following link to purchase products and the discount code will be applied at checkout. ⁠⁠⁠https://healf.com/?snowball=ANISHA11032⁠⁠⁠   CONNECT WITH KRYSTI-LEE PATTERSON: Website: www.meithealservices.com.au OR www.lrnrx.com.au  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krysti-leepatterson/ OTHER LINKS:  Pharmacy Career Podcast: https://www.ravensrecruitment.com.au/your-pharmacy-career-podcast?source=google.com Raven's Recruitment: https://www.ravensrecruitment.com.au/ Pharmacy Careers Summit: https://pharmacycareerssummit.com.au/ (Sign up!!) Follow me on⁠⁠⁠ My Website⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, and/or⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On this week's episode, I am excited to launch Part II of the sleep series and introduce Gareth Evans to the podcast. Gareth is a dedicated and passionate pharmacist who genuinely values helping his community through accessible enhanced services that aim to improve patient health. He graduated from the University of Bradford in 1998. He completed the 5-year MPharm Course which still exists today. This course enables you to undertake your pre-registration training as part of the programme where students leave university as a qualified pharmacist pending successful completion of the GPhC registration exam.

Gareth owned his first community pharmacy in 2002, less than 5 years after qualifying as a pharmacist. He set up a consultation room and initiated blood glucose testing and blood pressure monitoring which was relatively new at the time. Weight loss and weight management became part of the services Gareth provided and this was the start of his passion to combat the obesity epidemic. This passion inspired him to set up his own organisation called Waistaway. Waistaway is a complete weight loss and weight management programme that aims to help combat the obesity crisis by combining high quality products and professional, one to one support. They offer a range of weight loss and weight management solutions designed around the individual's requirements. From basic weight check and advice, portion control, partial food replacement, all the way up to total food replacement using the Lipotrim pharmacy programme. Gareth has provided this service for over 16 years and has collected data for over 1800 patients which is a phenomenal achievement! He has successfully published the data and results which is linked below.

Adrian Zacher (see podcast episode 70) contacted Gareth via LinkedIn and sparked his interest in improving sleep disorder services within community pharmacies and supporting pharmacists to be better educated to help their own communities. Through this connection and his curiosity to enhance what services can be provided by community pharmacists, Gareth got involved with setting up the British Society of Pharmacy Sleep Services (BSPSS) and became President of the charity.

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Gareth Evans

Linkedin: @BSPSS

Linkedin: @Waistaway

Twitter: @BritishSleep

Facebook: @BritishSleep

BSPSS website

Waistaway website

Publication - Long Term Evaluation of a UK Community Pharmacy-based Weight Management Service

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On this week's episode I am proud to launch a 3-part series about SLEEP. Part I of this series is with Adrian Zacher. Adrian is a passionate advocate for tackling sleep disorders. Though he is not a pharmacist, he has over 25 years of experience in this specialist area and has experience working in several roles related to sleep. His most recent roles include:

- CEO and co-founder of The British Society of Pharmacy Sleep Services (BSPSS)

- Founder and Director of Snorer Pharmacy

- Author of Killer in you bedroom: Actionable help for snoring and drowsiness

BSPSS is a charity that aims to dramatically improve the quality and accessibility of sleep expertise in community pharmacies through bespoke professional training and patient education materials. Sleep issues span the generations and affect a large proportion of the population. Through accessible, earliest possible intervention, the charity aim to support people in need of sleep expertise and help them cope, adapt and prosper. These services will hopefully have a lasting impact upon the mental health and resilience of the entire community, as well as freeing up invaluable GP time.

Membership to BSPSS is currently FREE. You can also access FREE online courses that will support your patients with sleep issues, create new revenue streams, and learn more about screening and signposting to different services.

Snorer Pharmacy is a website that provides training and education to community pharmacists to help patients with suspected sleep disorders, such as snoring and sleep apnoea, at the earliest opportunity. Currently the course is FREE and you can utilise the tools as part of your Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Go and check out the website linked below!

Adrian and I connected via Linkedin and I was immediately drawn towards his passion to helping people with sleep disorders and the drive to support community pharmacists to make a difference to their patients. He welcomes messages and emails so please feel free to contact him for further information. To find out more about his experience, please visit his LinkedIn profile below.

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Adrian Zacher

Linkedin: @BSPSS

Twitter: @BritishSleep

Facebook: @BritishSleep

BSPSS website

Snorer Pharmacy Website

Book: Killer in you bedroom: Actionable help for snoring and drowsiness

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On this week's episode I am delighted to introduce Amandeep Doll to the podcast. Aman is the current Head of Professional Belonging at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Great Britain (RPSGB). She also has experience working in hospital pharmacy, education & training in both hospital and university settings, and has worked at a national level for Health Education England (HEE). Her role with HEE was part of the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Clinical Fellow Scheme. This scheme is a unique leadership development opportunity for pharmacists offered through the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FMLM). It is designed to support and develop pharmacists who present with the clearest potential to develop as clinical leaders of the future.

Today's episode features a variety of interesting topics:

- Growing up in an Asian household, expectations from family members, and how this has impacted her professional career

- Moving away from home early in her career which was quite unusual for a girl of Asian heritage and how this gave her freedom and independence to make decisions for herself rather than what was expected of her.

- How an unexpected divorce after 2 years of marriage impacted her life and career plans. Aman started a new job at the same time as getting divorced, however, she didn't really deal with her emotional/mental health in that moment. Upon reflection she has a better understanding of her limits and what she can cope with.

- How she successfully transitioned from one sector of pharmacy to another and what she learnt from these experiences

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Amandeep Doll

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On this week's episode you guys are in for a treat! I am so excited to introduce Allyson Brennan to the podcast this week. Allyson is a clinical pharmacist with over 15 years’ experience in Neurology and the founder of Emogene & Co. Allyson is passionate about natural and naturally-derived ingredients. She bought a Vitamin C serum for her skin a few years ago and whilst looking at the list of ingredients on the bottle, her sense of curiousity in combination with her love for chemistry made her think about how she could create her own version of this at home. This idea, a lot of hard work, and late nights has led her to the business she has today. The creation of pharmacist-formulated skincare products that are designed with one goal in mind: to nourish and improve the health of your skin! An absolutely beautiful story filled with purpose, dedication, intention and pure passion. A perfect way to bridge the gap between science and nature to improve your skin's health.

During this conversation, Allyson and I quickly realise that we have a lot in common and we share very similar values. From a professional perspective as well as a personal one. Our values regarding our lifestyle and parenting are closely alighned and we use this opportunity to share our thoughts and feelings on transitioning to motherhood and how this has impacted our professional careers. Allyson is currently loving the flexibility and freedom in starting her own business whilst still utilising all the pharmacy knowledge and skills she learnt at university.

I am truly proud to share this story on the podcast because it genuinely showcases what a pharmacist is capable of achieving and how driven we can be as professionals. I know you guys will love listening in!

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Allyson Brennan

Instagram: @Emogeneco

Facebook: @Emogene & Co.

Pinterest: Emogene & Co.

Website: Emogene & Co.

Your Financial Pharmacist: Episode 180 with Allyson Brennan

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am pleased to introduce Christina Fontana to the podcast. Christina is a pharmacist, author, transformation coach, hypnotherapist and podcaster.

From the ages of 18 to 25, she suffered with a rare eating disorder called Night Eating Syndrome. She also experienced debilitating anxiety, low self-esteem, and felt isolated from her family. She made decisions about her career that her family didn't agree with and this led to her being kicked out of her home and was homeless for 2 weeks. Her life was chaotic and unmanageable and she felt like she had hit her rock bottom. These struggles started during her pharmacy degree and heightened at the beginning of her career as a pharmacist and completing her residency.

Christina indicates that traditional medicine never appealed to her and she began studying and experiencing various modalities of healing. She managed to turn her life around and began utilising this experience and all the skills she learned along the way to build the business she has today.

Christina's mission is to uplift, empower, and inspire young women to pursue their entrepreneurial dream. She volunteers to speak with pharmacy schools and also provides two scholarships per year to students at St. John's University to support the development of the next generation of pharmacist entrepreneurs.

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Christina Fontana

Instagram: @ThePharmacistCoach

Facebook: @Dr. Christina Tarantola Transformation Coaching

Twitter: @e_w_solutions

You Tube: @Christina Fontana

Podcast: She Rises into Desire Podcast

Website: The Pharmacist Coach

Books: Sold via The Pharmacist Coach Website

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am pleased to introduce Farah Haque to the podcast. Farah is the current Associate Director of Pharmacy at Babylon Health. Babylon Health is an international digital health service provider that combines artificial intelligence and technology with human medical expertise to create all-in-one healthcare, right from your device. Over the last few years, Babylon has been reaching out to pharmacists to support their clinical services and conduct digital consultations as part of their Advanced Clinical Practitioner team. The beauty of these roles involve being able to work remotely as an autonomous practitioner. Farah was one of the first clinical pharmacists to join Babylon back in 2018.

Prior to working at Babylon, she gained experience working in a variety of roles: Community Pharmacist, Hospital Pharmacist, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Pharmacist, and Prison Pharmacist. This variety has provided her with a solid foundation of skills and experience that has made her who she is today.

Though we spend a considerable amount of time discussing Farah's career history, our conversation also involves a deep dive into the following topics:

- Asian upbringings and high expectations from family

- Growing up in a society where your feelings of self-worth are based on sources outside of yourself

- Lack of self-belief and how to alter your mindset

- Taking risks and being open to new opportunities

A very honest and genuine conversation that resonated with my personal journey into the pharmacy profession. I am sure you will enjoy this episode!

***Please accept my apologies that there is some background noise on this week's recording. Hopefully it is not too distracting***

Job Vacancies at Babylon Health

Social media:

LinkedIn: @Farah Haque

Pharmaceutical Journal Article: A Day in the Life of a Pharmacist Carrying Out Remote Consultations

Clinical Pharmacy Congress (CPC) Awards Shortlist 2022: Excellence in Clinical Leadership

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

This week we celebrate the TWO year anniversary of the Pharmacist Diaries Podcast!!! We can celebrate the pharmacy profession and all the guests that I have been fortunate enough to interview. We can also celebrate the power of connection and the joy that it has brought to my life since starting this journey as a podcaster. 

I personally want to thank each and every one of my guests for taking the time to come onto the podcast to share their personal journey with me. I'd also like to thank all my followers as I wouldn't be here without your support. There is over 100 countries now tuning in to the podcast which is just mind blowing for me.

Today I am re-launching the first episode of Pharmacist Diaries where I dive deep into discussion about my personal journey into pharmacy. I share an honest account about why I chose to become a pharmacist, the hurdles I have overcome, achievements I am proud of, and what I plan to do with my future. I hope you enjoy it!

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app so you can be notified when a new episode is released. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter.

Today I am launching the third and final episode in a special series of podcasts with Tara Humphrey! Tara is the founder and managing director of THC Primary Care which was set up initially in 2015. She has 20 years of experience in business development and operations management covering the public and private sector and has an MBA in Leadership and Management in Health Care.  Tara is passionate about helping people and giving them the tools, time and support to develop their ideas and bring them to fruition.

Tara and I met through instagram when I first started my podcast. Soon after connecting, she launched The Business of Healthcare Scholarship Scheme which I applied for and was granted mentoring. At the time of mentoring, I was making some big decisions in my career as my 12-month contract with the Evelina London Children's Hospital (ELCH) was coming to a close. Through mentoring, I was given the right advice and encouragement to apply for a permenant role with ELCH and got the job!

I reached out to Tara to share her insight on elements of team working, project management and goal setting that are relatable to any pharmacist or pharmacy career pathway. Today's episode is focused on our personal experiences with team meetings. Tara provides us with some insight on what tactics have worked within her team to have productive meetings with engagement from all her staff.

Today's episode is all about goal setting! Tara and I discussed our personal processes for setting goals as individuals, professionals and members of a family. We both love hiking so we shared some stories about our journeys to climb Kilimanjaro and our motivation behind those trips.

The best part of this episode was learning more about Tara as a person. Since starting this podcast, I have made some really meaningful connections with some beautiful people so this opportunity to get to know her made me really happy.

I am sure you'll enjoy it too!

I have also shared Tara's podcast link below and episodes from her podcast that you might find useful to listen to and relate to the conversations we have had in this 3-part series.

The Business of Healthcare Podcast

Project Management

#78 – How to protect your learning time – in the show notes it has a long to a video of how the team use asana

#121 – Productivity Tips

Importance of Collaboration

#196 – The Importance of Collaboration

#129 – What it takes to work confidentially across multiple organisations

#147 – Stop trying to do everything yourself

Meetings and how to make the most of them

#139 – How to create effective meetings

#60 – The value of a loose agenda

Goal Setting

#167 finding the factors that support your success

#159 – why you should revisit your plans

#109 – how to create a simple business plan

#80 – Planning and Patience

Social media:

Twitter: @THCPrimarycare

Instagram: @TaraHumphreyy

LinkedIn: @Tara Humphrey

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter.

Today I am launching the second of three episodes in a special series of podcasts with Tara Humphrey! Tara is the founder and managing director of THC Primary Care which was set up initially in 2015. She has 20 years of experience in business development and operations management covering the public and private sector and has an MBA in Leadership and Management in Health Care.  Tara is passionate about helping people and giving them the tools, time and support to develop their ideas and bring them to fruition.

Tara and I met through instagram when I first started my podcast. Soon after connecting, she launched The Business of Healthcare Scholarship Scheme which I applied for and was granted mentoring. At the time of mentoring, I was making some big decisions in my career as my 12-month contract with the Evelina London Children's Hospital (ELCH) was coming to a close. Through mentoring, I was given the right advice and encouragement to apply for a permenant role with ELCH and got the job!

I reached out to Tara to share her insight on elements of team working, project management and goal setting that are relatable to any pharmacist or pharmacy career pathway. Today's episode is focused on our personal experiences with team meetings. Tara provides us with some insight on what tactics have worked within her team to have productive meetings with engagement from all her staff.

I have also shared Tara's podcast link below and episodes from her podcast that you might find useful to listen to and relate to the conversations we have had in this 3-part series.

The Business of Healthcare Podcast

Project Management

#78 – How to protect your learning time – in the show notes it has a long to a video of how the team use asana

#121 – Productivity Tips

Importance of Collaboration

#196 – The Importance of Collaboration

#129 – What it takes to work confidentially across multiple organisations

#147 – Stop trying to do everything yourself

Meetings and how to make the most of them

#139 – How to create effective meetings

#60 – The value of a loose agenda

Goal Setting

#167 finding the factors that support your success

#159 – why you should revisit your plans

#109 – how to create a simple business plan

#80 – Planning and Patience

Social media:

Twitter: @THCPrimarycare

Instagram: @TaraHumphreyy

LinkedIn: @Tara Humphrey

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter.

Today I am launching the first of three episodes in a special series of podcasts with Tara Humphrey! Tara is the founder and managing director of THC Primary Care which was set up initially in 2015. She has 20 years of experience in business development and operations management covering the public and private sector and has an MBA in Leadership and Management in Health Care.  Tara is passionate about helping people and giving them the tools, time and support to develop their ideas and bring them to fruition.

Tara and I met through instagram when I first started my podcast. Soon after connecting, she launched The Business of Healthcare Scholarship Scheme which I applied for and was granted mentoring. At the time of mentoring, I was making some big decisions in my career as my 12-month contract with the Evelina London Children's Hospital (ELCH) was coming to a close. Through mentoring, I was given the right advice and encouragement to apply for a permenant role with ELCH and got the job!

Building on the success of the 2020 scholarship programme, Tara and her team have launched the Business of Healthcare Academy, where this year, they have facilitated a mentorship programme created to support healthcare professionals from ethnically diverse backgrounds to pursue their leadership careers AND provided a £10k grant to deliver an initiative this winter that addresses an ethnic health and care inequality. This year I have taken part in this scheme as a mentor rather than a mentee! It has been a rewarding experience outside of my day-to-day work life and the connection I have made has turned into a great friendship with a fellow pharmacist.

I reached out to Tara to share her insight on elements of team working, project management and goal setting that are relatable to any pharmacist or pharmacy career pathway. I have also shared Tara's podcast link below and episodes from her podcast that you might find useful to listen to and relate to the conversations we have had in this 3-part series.

The Business of Healthcare Podcast

Project Management

#78 – How to protect your learning time – in the show notes it has a long to a video of how the team use asana

#121 – Productivity Tips

Importance of Collaboration

#196 – The Importance of Collaboration

#129 – What it takes to work confidentially across multiple organisations

#147 – Stop trying to do everything yourself

Meetings and how to make the most of them

#139 – How to create effective meetings

#60 – The value of a loose agenda

Goal Setting

#167 finding the factors that support your success

#159 – why you should revisit your plans

#109 – how to create a simple business plan

#80 – Planning and Patience

Social media:

Twitter: @THCPrimarycare

Instagram: @TaraHumphreyy

LinkedIn: @Tara Humphrey

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. 

In this episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Shilpa Patel, a GP practice pharmacist who has taken her career to new heights. Shilpa shared her incredible journey from transitioning from community pharmacy to becoming a GP partner within just two years. She also unveils a secret on this episode that she hasn't yet shared on social media!!

Throughout the conversation, Shilpa dives into the various projects and opportunities she has spearheaded in her role, showcasing her diverse skill set and innovative approach. From leading a COVID vaccination centre to rebranding her GP practice and improving Google ratings, Shilpa's story is a testament to the endless possibilities within the GP practice pharmacist role.

We explored how Shilpa's willingness to learn on the job and embrace new challenges has been instrumental in her growth as a leader. She emphasised the importance of continuous learning and seeking opportunities to expand one's skill set, especially in the evolving landscape of pharmacy practice.

Shilpa also shared insights on the future of GP practice roles, highlighting the increasing opportunities for pharmacists, especially with the prescribing degree. She encouraged pharmacists to consider roles in general practice and strive for partnership positions, emphasising the unique perspectives and skills pharmacists bring to the table.

Overall, Shilpa's journey serves as an inspiring example of how pharmacists can carve out fulfilling and impactful careers by embracing change, continuous learning, and seizing opportunities for growth.

BEHIND THE MIC

Have you been thinking about starting your own podcast?

We know that starting a podcast can feel daunting and overwhelming. But guess what? You’re not alone.

We are on a mission to create a fantastic community of individuals just like you! Together, we'll break down the entire podcasting process—from ideation to recording, editing, technology, publishing, social media, marketing, branding, sponsorship and more.

Sign up to our FREE community called Behind The Mic!

We are excited to engage with you and provide you with the support & guidance you need to get started.

Register here: https://behindthemic.circle.so/

SIGN UP to my NEWSLETTER below so you’ll be the first to know when new episodes are being released. You’ll also receive regular inspiration, tips, tools, and free content.

https://pharmacistdiaries.ck.page/newsletter

PARTNERSHIPS:

The Naked Pharmacy is offering my podcast listeners a 20% discount on all their products. Use discount code PD20 at checkout to receive the offer.

⁠⁠https://www.thenakedpharmacy.com/⁠⁠

Healf is offering my podcast listeners a 10% discount on all their products. Use the following link to purchase products and the discount code will be applied at checkout.

⁠⁠https://healf.com/?snowball=ANISHA11032⁠⁠  

CONNECT WITH SHILPA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilpapharmacist/

Website: https://askshilpa.com

Follow me on⁠⁠ My Website⁠⁠,⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠,⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠,⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠,⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠, and/or⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am thrilled to share an inspiring conversation I had with Sheree-Ann Michelle. She is a Pharmacist, a Health & Wellness Coach, and the founder of The Chia Lifestyle. The Chia Lifestyle is a Health and Wellness organisation that helps busy women to prioritise their wellbeing. Sheree-Ann works closely with her clients to build a resevoir of powerful techniques for optimum wellness, increasing energy levels and learning how to maintain a lifetime of healthy habits. She focuses on 5 main areas: Sleep, Hydration, Movement, Nutrition and Mindset.

This episode explores Sheree-Ann's pharmacy journey from when she started Pharmacy School in Jamaica. She was faced with several obstacles during this time:

- working whilst studying to pay for her degree

- failing one exam over one question and needing to re-take her entire school year again

- anxiety/panic attacks triggered by all the stress in her life at the time

- nearly being abducted on her way from school, and

- family separation at home.

HOWEVER, despite all of these obstacles, Sheree-Ann believed in herself and utilised this faith to push forward and turn any negative experience into a positive one! Her journey into pharmacy leads her to the UK where she lives today. I admire her ability to step outside of her comfort zone and take risks with absolute faith that things will work out.

Majority of her pharmacy career has been spent in the pharmaceutical industry as a sales representative for multiple large companies such as Astra Zeneca and GSK. She talks in depth about the variety of transferrable skills she has developed in these roles and how they have led her to where she is today.

The Chia Lifestyle

Instagram: @thechialifestyle and @shereeannmichelle

Linkedin: @Sheree-Ann Abrahams

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

Amar Suchde is back on the podcast for a second recording. On this week's episode we get a life update from Amar and all the projects he's been working on over the last year and he gives us insight into what the future has to hold. We also dive into discussion about the motivation and drive behind his passions and how that has made him the man he is today.

Amar Suchde is a fully qualified independent prescribing- aesthetic pharmacist, specialising in non-surgical cosmetic treatments. After a successful career in pharmacy, Amar repositioned himself into the world of aesthetics. A pioneer in his field, Amar set up his first clinic, AMS Aesthetics, in London’s prestigious Harley Street. From there, he went on to set up four other venues in and around London, where he now has a loyal and dedicated following of international clients. As a result of his dedication and desire to help others follow in his footsteps to establish a successful aesthetics practice, Amar launched PharmAesthetics UK in 2017, where he worked alongside leading experts in aesthetics to standardise the training for pharmacists in an ethical and clinical set up.

Amar was featured on Episode 25 of the podcast the first time so check this out if you haven't done so already! That episode is full of energy and positivity. Amar's passion and desire to help others and thrive in his field is clearly evident from the interview. We talk in depth about his journey into pharmacy and we gain first hand insight into the pharmacist's role in aesthetics and how it is developing in the UK.

Academy Website: www.amsacademy.group

Clinic Website: www.amsaesthetics.com

Book: A Simple Guide to the World of Aesthetics for Pharmacists

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Simple-Guide-World-Aesthetics-Pharmacists/dp/1720452792

Instagram:

PharmAesthetics UK: @pharmaestheticsuk

AMS Aesthetics: @ams_aesthetics

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and/or YouTube. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode you guys are in for a treat as I welcome the wonderful Harpreet Chana to the podcast. Harpreet is an experienced pharmacist, certified professional coach, self-leadership trainer, international speaker and the founder of the Mental Wealth Academy. I reached out to her as she has experience in two unique roles as a pharmacist which you don't hear about on a regular basis.

• NPA - Digital Programme Director and Consultant Project Manager
• PSNC - Head of Funding Strategy and Head of Pricing

However, when we started talking, the conversation flowed in a completely different direction and I decided to enjoy it and live in the present moment.

Harpreet is the founder of the Mental Wealth Academy. She created the academy because of her personal experience of battling with years of stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. She didn't tell anyone about her struggles for fear of judgement and recrimination, both personally and professionally. She found little support online for people who were suffering with ill mental health yet were still able to function day to day. Because of this, she wanted to make it her personal mission to eradicate the suffering that arises from negative inner thoughts, or a lack of essential life and leadership skills. These are the skills nobody teaches us at school or university. They are the tools that enable us to be more confident, resilient and in better control of our thoughts, emotions and perceptions. These skills can help to prevent mental health related illness. She also wanted to create more mentally positive and stimulating work environments that encourage openness and honesty around mental health and that promote healthy mental practices, both at home and at work.

This episode raises some very common concerns related to working as a pharmacist in the UK. Harpreet provides us with some powerful yet simple tools to use in your day-to-day work life, especially for those moments when you feel overwhelmed with a million tasks and don't know how to say no or can't find the courage to speak up to your employer.

I loved her approach to problem solving and turning a negative situation into a positive one. I also found her advice on mindset and negative thoughts really insightful. Please check out her website! I am sure she would be happy to receive emails for advice and support. She has tailored group and 1-2-1 training programmes which focus on confidence, resilience, emotional intelligence and better communication.

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Harpreet Chana

Website: The Mental Wealth Academy

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

I have been really looking forward to getting this episode uploaded for you guys to listen to! Today's epsiode features the wonderful Nicola Vosser! Nicola is Chealsea and Westminster's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's ePMA Lead Directorate Pharmacist and the first pharmacist on the podcast with a full-time IT related pharmacy role. She has lead a team to implement ePMA (Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration) across two hospitals sites, sharing the Cerner domain and drug catalogue with Imperial College Hospital Trust (ICHT). Though an exciting experience to be part of, it raises a whole set of challenges and problem solving skills in her day-to-day work life. We spend time sharing the "thrills" of project management in the world of pharmacy IT and the satisfaction you get when systems, processes, and daily life for healthcare professionals using the system become so much more efficient and user-friendly. 

Prior to working as an ePMA pharmacist, she was a passionate Women's and Children's Pharmacist and Resident Pharmacist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. She loved her clinical role and was intrigued about the idea of implementing those skills into a IT related role and decided to take on a secondment for a year to try it out! She clearly loved the job and what it had to offer and hasn't looked back ever since.

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Nicola Vosser

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode, I had the pleasure of talking to Jolanta Borkowska on the podcast. She has been helping people from all walks of life with their health challenges for over 30 years as a pharmacist and as a nutritional therapist. She has spent majority of her career working as a community pharmacist all over the UK and the stories she shares with on today's episode are so interesting and inspiring.

She first became interested in natural ways of restoring health and wellbeing when she was having some health issues due to early menopause such as migraines, brain fog and night sweats. She sought nutrition advice and had some functional testing to clarify exactly what was happening in her body and this changed everything for her. She was able to target specific imbalances in her body that were causing health challenges by making small tweaks to her diet, introducing functional foods and a few high calibre supplements.  Following this, she decided she wanted to help others regain great health naturally and she embarked on 4 years of study at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London. She now has her own online clinic and focuses on working as a Nutritional Therapist helping men, women and children achieve their best health using a holistic, natural approach. She uses a variety of Functional Tests to detect the root cause of your health challenges – focusing on the cause of your imbalances rather than just your symptoms. This allows her to detect underlying causes and provide a much more personalised approach for your journey to optimal health and wellbeing.

She absolutely loves her new role and she cannot think of a better way of earning an income as well as being able to help people. She has a whole arena of extra tools and knowledge to support her clients to improve their health above and beyond her life as a pharmacist. I loved her energy on this podcast episode and I absolutely love how she values and prioritises her mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing to be the best version of herself.

"Self care sets the foundation to allow you to achieve to your best life."

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Jolanta Borkowska

Website: https://www.the-holistic-pharmacist.co.uk/

Pharmacist Diaries: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episodes

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am pleased to introduce Aamer Safdar to the podcast. A pharmacist that has spent over 20 years in the training and workforce development sector of pharmacy. In the course of two decades, he has seen approximately 350 pre-registration pharmacists/trainee pharmacists complete their training and register as pharmacists with the GPhC. Aamer and I shortly crossed paths when I first joined Guys and St Thomas' NHS trust in 2019 where he was employed as the Principal Pharmacist Lead for Education & Development. He has also worked in a variety of other educational roles, such as:

- Education and Committee Member at UKCPA

- Pharmacy Lecturer at two brilliant universities in London: UCL and KCL

- A variety of roles at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

- Council Member at GPhC

Today's episode highlights why we both love working in an education and training role within pharmacy. There is something really special and unique about seeing pharmacy students and trainee pharmacists develop into confident professionals. We gain in-depth insight into how the pre-registration training year has changed over the past 20 years and hear Aamer's thoughts on what it will be like for the next generations of pharmacists.

Social Media:

Linkedin: @Aamer Safdar

Twitter: @asafdar1

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I had a wonderful conversation with Bela (Desai) Patel. Bela spent the first 17 years of her career as a consultant pharmacist practicing in nursing homes in USA. Most of this time was spent reviewing patients’ charts and making recommendations regarding their drug therapy in an effort to try to reduce the number of medications, minimise drug interactions and improve their overall health. During her time in this role, she started discovering how medications would treat the symptoms but there was a lack of awareness to understand and treat the root cause of the conditions. She experienced a similar situation herself which she shares in detail on the podcast in relation to symptoms and conditions she was diagnosed with.

However, instead of taking medications, she opted to change her diet and started practicing yoga and meditation—and the results were astounding! Perhaps the most profound realisation was understanding that what you put into and onto your bodies has a tremendous impact in disease prevention, treatment, and overall well being.  Making a decision to eat real, whole foods and living a lifestyle in balance can allow the body to access its own internal pharmacy and help with healing itself.

Her passion for helping people heal naturally, through food and alternative therapies, drove her to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City.  Now she is able to combine a medical background with this training to help clients create happier and healthier lives.

We also spend a lot of time talking about our own families and what we have introduced into our lives to educate our children on the foundations of a healthy lifestyle. I loved sharing ideas and it was really reassuring to hear that we shared some of the same struggles with younger children and now her teenagers independently make some positive and healthy choices.

I hope you guys enjoy the episode!

Social Media and links:

Facebook: @wholisticpharmacist

Instagram: @wholisticpharmacist

Linkedin: @Bela (Desai) Patel (WHOLISTICPHARMACIST) 

Wholistic Pharmacist Website

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I had a fantastic conversation with Claire May! Claire has been working as a pharmacist for 20 years and has a broad range of experience in Academia, Retail Pharmacy, and Primary Care.  She is passionate about supporting the development of undergraduate pharmacy students as well as the role of a pharmacist in sports. We share our personal stories of working as pharmacists in a sports environment. Claire has been a consultant pharmacist for the PGA European Tour for 8 years and she worked in the Athlete's Village at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, which she describes as a phenomenal experience and one the highlights of her career. Her passion about being a Sports Pharmacist is evident during this episode. In 2020, she was awarded an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Certificate in Drugs in Sport.

If you are interested in Sports Pharmacy, make sure to follow the International Sports Pharmacist Network on LinkedIn and the Sports Pharmacists YouTube Channel. You'll also find an interview on YouTube with Claire discussing her experience to date.

Links to things we discussed on the podcast, in particular reference to support groups within pharmacy:

NPPG - Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group

UKCPA - United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association

LPC - Local Pharmaceutical Committees

NPA - National Pharmacy Association

Pharmacy Careers Map

Social Media:

LinkedIn: @Claire May

Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

I am delighted to introduce Sureena Clement to the podcast this week! I came across Sureena's YouTube Channel, Sureena Speaks, a few months ago and I was inspired by her dedication to encourage and support the learning needs of trainee pharmacists (or pre-registration pharmacists). She has 5 years worth of content on her channel which is inspiring! Her videos cover each chapter of the BNF providing general advice and she spends a lot of time motivating students to reach their full potential. Sureena started her career as a community pharmacist. After a few years' of experience, she came across a Learning and Development Pharmacist role with the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). She went outside of her comfort zone to apply for the role and her journey within Education and Training has continued ever since. We spend a considerable amount of time talking about the skills you gain from community pharmacy and how they are transferrable to other areas of pharmacy practice and how to sell them in a job application or interview. I love her passion for educating and encouraging the next generation of pharmacists and we both share the same excitement when it comes to being part of their journey into a professional role. At the moment Sureena is working as an Early Careers Pharmacist Training Programme Director with King's College Hospital and Health Education England and absolutely loving her job! Social Media: LinkedIn: @Sureena Clement YouTube: @Sureena Speaks Instagram: @Sureenaspeaks Twitter: @Sureenaspeaks Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am having a second discussion with Preeti Minhas on the podcast. Preeti and I had our first conversation back in September 2021, Episode 46. We enjoyed getting to know each other and we were aligned in so many ways that I invited her back onto the podcast for a second time.

As we both work in Education & Training, we discuss our opinions on virtual vs face-to-face learning and how we have been moulding our teaching techniques to support our students.

We also dive into a deep conversation about consultation skills and person-centred care. As pharmacists, we learn a lot at university about what we need to communicate to patients, however, with the pressures of time constraints, it can be difficult to get that information across to a patient without bombarding them with 20 things to remember about their new medication. In this episode, we provide some really useful advice on HOW to action it in practice. I am sure you will find it useful in your day-to-day practice!

As a reminder, Preeti is currently working as the Assistant Director of Clinical Learning for Education for Health.  Education for Health is a dynamic healthcare charity, providing education, training and support to a variety of healthcare professionals.  A platform that you should all go and check out online as it has lots to offer for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

LinkedIn: @Preeti Minhas

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I had the pleasure of diving deeper into Shilpa Patel's incredible journey of building and nurturing a team of ten pharmacists in her GP practice. Shilpa, a pharmacist & entrepreneur, shared her insights and strategies on how she transformed her passion for career development into purpose. This is a 3-part series so make sure you tune into all the episodes and you will gain so much insight into the world of GP practice from this incredibly talented and inspiring pharmacist.

Shilpa's journey began with her transition from community pharmacy to a GP practice role, where she quickly realised the need for additional pharmacists to support the workload of GPs. Over the years, she strategically recruited pharmacists who shared her values and vision, creating a team that excelled in various specialist areas.

What stood out in Shilpa's approach was her focus on building trust and implementing protocols to streamline processes and enhance patient care. She emphasised the importance of understanding each pharmacist's strengths and finding roles that allowed them to excel, ultimately creating a cohesive and high-performing team.

Shilpa's leadership style, rooted in kindness and genuine care for her team's well-being, has fostered a supportive and positive work environment. She implemented unique initiatives such as daily meditation sessions and regular team-building activities, where the team come together to learn, connect, and grow.

Through her dedication to creating a nurturing and fulfilling workplace, Shilpa has not only transformed the lives of her team members but also set a standard for effective leadership in the pharmacy profession. Her story serves as an inspiration for pharmacists looking to build strong and happy teams while making a meaningful impact in their practice.

Join us in the next episode as we delve into Shilpa's journey towards partnership and leadership within the GP practice setting, exploring the challenges and rewards of taking on new roles and responsibilities. Stay tuned for more insights and motivation from Shilpa's remarkable career journey.

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Follow me on⁠ My Website⁠,⁠ YouTube⁠,⁠ Instagram⁠,⁠ Facebook⁠,⁠ LinkedIn⁠, and/or⁠ Twitter⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I have the pleasure of introducing Ryan Smith to the podcast. Ryan is a jack of all trades and has several roles within pharmacy: Part-time Primary Care Network (PCN) Pharmacist Clinical Director for MORPh Consultancy Clinical Director for The Pharmacist Network. He is passionate about the development of pharmacy practice, having held roles in both the commissioning and provision of services across primary care during his career. We discuss a variety of topics in today's episode with plenty of focus on mentorship, the value on completing a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), the benefit of regular reflection, and taking on roles outside of pharmacy as Ryan has experience as a healthcare development manager. MORPh is a pharmacist managed and pharmacist led organisation with approaching 20 years of experience in supporting pharmacy professionals working in primary care. Our approach is one of involvement, integration and participation, with learning being embedded into practice using a case based approach. The Pharmacist Network specialises in on-site and remote General Practice pharmacist and pharmacy technician services. Ryan's role involves employing and training pharmacists in General Practice and supporting medicines optimisation in the NHS. 

Social media: 

Linkedin - Ryan Smith 

Full episode on YouTube later today! Please subscribe to channel and hit like if you find my content helpful! Thank you to Stay Whole for video editing and production. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts.

If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

You can now watch the full episode on YouTube!

On today's episode, I am delighted to introduce a trainee pharmacist and Kings College London Alumni, Charlotte Fraser. I came a across a post on Linked In that Charlotte had written last week for World Mental Health Day.

I'm going to share part of her post as her thoughts and feelings were so honest and brave.

"Mental health. Everyone has one. Like physical health some health is better than others. It can fluctuate depending on the day and how much care and attention you’ve put into yourself. Unlike a lot of physical health problems though, it can be hard to explain. It can also amount to physical health problems. So why is it overlooked so much? Its estimated that 1 in 6 people have had a mental health problem in the last week but sadly this figure could, in truth, be higher.

Over two years ago I developed an eating disorder after a period of instability in my life. It was my coping mechanism - not a healthy one at that but it gave me, sadly, some comfort. Years before that I had mild depression and anxiety and the point of life seemed absent to me. At the dark stage of my eating disorder I decided I HAD to get help. For at least a year before this point I would consider filling in forms to get help and then when it came to it I would refuse the therapy offered to me. I now see therapy as being the best things I’ve ever done. It changed my life and my mindset. It gave me back my life.

What changed? I focused on me. I sat through discomfort which was at some times even physically painful. I found what made me happy, even the little things - colouring books, reading, walking, appreciating nature around me. I reflected on why I felt certain ways and found my triggers. SELF CARE AND DATING YOURSELF IS NOT SELFISH. It’s one of the things that I tell so many people close to me to do because you have you for the rest of your life.

One of the big things I did was speaking out. To anyone. Start the conversation because truthfully, most people have dark days and can relate to you in some ways. Do NOT be ashamed. You are worthy."

Today, Charlotte demonstrates her courage by coming onto the podcast to talk about her personal journey and how she is working on overcoming her anxieties and fears. I thoroughly enjoyed my evening having such a deep and reflective conversation and I am really proud of how she has approached this journey and where she is today.

Social media:

Linkedin - Charlotte Fraser

Full episode on YouTube

Please subscribe to channel and hit like if you find my content helpful!

Thanks to Stay Whole for video editing and production. 

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

Special episode with the husband! In this episode Sunjay and I discuss how getting a coach has transformed our lives. We discuss the habits we are working on forming to help us live a more happier and productive life.

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On today's episode, I am delighted to introduce Mark Hopkins to the podcast. Mark is an experienced comminuty pharmacist and the current owner of Hopwoods Pharmacy group in Wales. Since the beginning of his career he has been passionate about sports medicine and rehabilitation and has spent many years supporting athletes with rehabilitation pitchside and in the training room for various sporting events. This experience sparked his interest in setting up pain clinics within his pharmacy. This service aimed to provide care in the community for people living with chronic and acute pain, using bioelectrical technologies to provide pain relief and support wound healing. Mark also leads on retail and ambassador partnerships for NuroKor Bioelectronics as a Pharmacy and Healthcare Liaison.

Since Hopwoods Pharmacy launched the service, the pain clinic has provided approximately 250 consultations using NuroKor’s technology. The appointments involve a free 20 minute consultation about current medication and an opportunity to use cutting-edge bioelectric nerve stimulation technology. The electroceutical application helps to alleviate symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory diseases like fibromyalgia, joint pain, stroke recovery, improving circulation in people with diabetes, promoting wound healing and helping with pain management. The programme has expanded to 12 pain clinics across Wales and Scotland. Many of his patients report a significant reduction or stopping opioids altogether after using the therapy. Helping patients who are struggling to cope with both their pain and the side-effects of opioids has been an extremely rewarding experience for Mark and he shares some amazing stories on today's podcast.If you are interested in understanding more about the NuroKor devices or you are a pharmacist looking to start a pain clinic in your community, please feel free to contact Mark for further information at markh@nurokor.co.uk

About Nurokor

The NuroKor devices feature pioneering wearable technology that uses bioelectric nerve, muscle and microcurrent stimulation to help manage pain and optimise recovery, by targeting nerve endings and influencing pain signals reaching the brain. This provides safe and effective long-term alternative to opiods, for management of chronic pain, without side-effects and problems with addiction. 

Social media:

Instagram - mark_hopwoods and NuroKor

Linkedin - Mark Hopkins

Don't forget to check out the Evelina London Children's Hospital Foundation in Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care: 9th International Masterclass that will be held as a virtual event over four afternoons on October 7th, 8th, 14th, and 15thFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. 

Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I had the pleasure of interviewing a dear friend and fellow mum, Maiya Ahmed. I was really looking forward to recording this episode because Maiya has nearly 2 decades of experience in paediatrics alone! I’m in complete awe of her dedication to paediatrics and child health, and the wealth of knowledge she has gained in a specialist area of pharmacy when my journey has only just begun!

Maiya knew she wanted to work with children when she was an undergraduate student. She qualified as a pharmacist and started her career as a resident pharmacist at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She has experience in a wide variety of areas (Neurology, Neonates, Parenteral Nutrition, and Infectious Diseases to name a few) and is a non-medical independent prescriber in parenteral nutrition.

I also learnt about her passion for supporting developing countries to build and develop clinical services within pharmacy. In 2008, she took time out from her career to complete her MSc in International Maternal and Child Health with University College London (UCL) and then volunteered for over a year at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya! What an amazing experience!

Maiya and I met in 2018 when we joined Evelina London Children’s Hospital, both covering Maternity Leave contracts. I remember the day so clearly when she told me she was pregnant and having her first child. An exciting moment in our new friendship and how life has changed for her since she’s become a mother. We spend some time sharing our experiences of becoming parents and acheving our professional dreams.

Another exciting episode with lots of insight on how to live a fulfilled and inspiring pharmacy career. So proud of you Maiya!

LinkedIn: @Maiya Ahmed

Instagam: @maiya_ahmed and @plusbabyseminars

Twitter: @maiyaahmed

Sign up to the Return to Work Pharmacy Workshop Event by PLUSbaby Seminars on September 29th 10am-1pm

Don't forget to check out the Evelina London Children's Hospital Foundation in Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care: 9th International Masterclass that will be held as a virtual event over four afternoons on October 7th, 8th, 14th, and 15th

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am super excited to introduce Preeti Minhas to the podcast. Preeti started her pharmacy journey as a community pharmacist with Boots and became store manager after only one year of qualifying as a pharmacist! From our conversation, it is clear that she thoroughly enjoyed her role in primary care as was passion ate about leading a team of healthcare professionals. During her time with Boots, she came across a role involved with learning and development which she knew was a unique opportunity to view pharmacy from a different pair of eyes. This role led onto several other interesting opportunities in her career, one of which is her involvement with Education for Health. Education for Health is a dynamic healthcare charity, providing education, training and support to a variety of healthcare professionals. Preeti initially joined the organisation as Head of Respiratory and Market Intelligence and is now the Assistant Director of Clinical Learning. She is a self driven and passionate pharmacist; a true role model in this profession and it was an absolute pleasure having such a wonderful, like-minded pharmacist to enjoy conversation with. Guys you are going to love this one! LinkedIn: @Preeti Minhas Don't forget to check out the Evelina London Children's Hospital Foundation in Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care: 9th International Masterclass that will be held as a virtual event over four afternoons on October 7th, 8th, 14th, and 15th Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode, I am pleased to introduce our first French pharmacist on the podcast, Laily Sadozai! Laily and I met at Evelina London Children's Hospital during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic whilst she was completing her 6-month internship with the Pharmacy Department and Paediatric Infectious Diseases Team. She was an absolute pleasure to work with and during her time with us, she kindly gave us a presentation about life as a pharmacist in France. It was truly eye-opening and I was so surprised to hear how different the career pathway is in a neighbouring country just across the English Channel.

Today's episode focuses on the journey of a French Pharmacist as well as her own passions with hospital pharmacy and more specifically, infectious diseases.

Social media:

Instagram: @Laily Sadozai

LinkedIn: @Laily Sadozai

Don't forget to check out the Evelina London Children's Hospital Foundation in Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care: 9th International Masterclass that will be held as a virtual event over four afternoons on October 7th, 8th, 14th, and 15th 2021

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode, I am delighted to introduce the current Associate Chief Pharmacist at Evelina London Children's Hospital (ELCH), Nanna Christiansen. Nanna has over 15 years' experience in paedatrics and has worked at both Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (GOSH) and Barts Health NHS Trust. Since moving to London, United Kingdom, she has excelled in her career at a fast pace and has made all the right decisions in her journey to reach where she is today. Nanna's impressive and inspiring career timeline: - 2005: Senior Specialist Pharmacist in Haematology and Oncology at GOSH - 2007: Completed her MSc Pharmacy Practice - 2008: Principle Pharmacist for Women and Children at Bart's Health - 2012: Lead Clinical Pharmacist - Paediatrics at Bart's Health - 2012: Completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA) - 2017: Consultant Pharmacist at Bart's Health - 2018: Associate Chief Pharmacist at ELCH Today's episode focuses on this journey as well as her passion for leadership and management within pharmacy. I hope you all enjoy it. Social media: LinkedIn: @Nanna Christiansen Don't forget to check out the Evelina London Children's Hospital Foundation in Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care: 9th International Masterclass that will be held as a virtual event over four afternoons on October 7th, 8th, 14th, and 15th Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am beyond delighted to introduce you to my dear friend and fellow pharmacist, Erin Tew (formerly Erin Lowther). I have been nagging her to record an episode for nearly a year now and the timing was absolutely perfect and the conversation was exactly what I was craving! Erin and I started our pharmacy journey together as resident pharmacists at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and we lived together for some time during this job. This episode was extremely reflective and gave a true insight to what life is really like for passionate healthcare professionals who strive to be the BEST version of themselves. Erin is one of the most energetic, positive, and hard working humans that I have met in my professional journey so far. Nothing is ever too hard for her and she has a natural ability to see the good in every scenario she is faced with. I got to see a different side of Erin during this conversation. The vulnerable and emotional side of her that we don't see too often as she is such a strong character. It was a pleasure catching up with her after many months and it was also lovely to have a conversation about becoming more aware of who we are, how we feel, and what we need in life to progress in this professional journey. Erin has accomplished a huge amount over the last decade and she has worked in a variety of interesting sectors of pharmacy: Resident Pharmacist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (2010-2013) A&E Pharmacist Practitioner with Worcester Royal Hospital which included completion of her Advanced Clinical Practice MSc (2013-2017) Community Pharmacist at Boots (2017-2019) Senior Non-Medical Prescriber with We Are With You (2019-2020) Principal Pharmacist Renal and Emergency Medicine (Current) During this episode Erin shares her personal journey through miscarriage and we thought it would be useful to share some supportive links in the context of early pregnancy loss: Instagram pages: @tommys @the_worstgirlgang_ever @sayinggoodbye_charity I also follow a lovely pharmacist on instagram who is a miscarriage warrior and openly shares her personal journey with miscarriage @fitpharmdee Social media for Erin: Instagram: @ErinMaryLow Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode, I am absolutely delighted to introduce the current Director of Pharmacy at Cleveland Clinic London to the podcast, Francine De Stoppelaar. Francine and I met back in 2018 when I first returned to London from Abu Dhabi. She had recently started her post at that time and was in the initial stages of developing and setting up the pharmacy services for the hospital. There is something really special about working with a start-up team and building something from the ground up! Since then, Cleveland Clinic London has been working tirelessly to set up the hospital as well as overcoming the challenges associated with Brexit and COVID-19. They are set to open the outpatient clinic on Portland Place in September 2021 and the Hospital on Grosvenor Place in January 2022. Francine is an experienced healthcare leader with an extensive track record in Clinical and Pharmacy Operations, Quality and Patient Safety, Capital Builds and Entrepreneurship. Our conversation highlights her ability to thrive when faced with new challenges and experiences. She is definitely brave, she thinks outside the box, and enjoys an adventure in her professional career! I was recently employed by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and my fondest memory of working there was the culture that the organisation fostered where you felt like you were working with family. I also loved the fact that they prioritised your health and wellbeing as they know and believe that looking after yourself first will ensure you can look after your patients. This "patient-first" culture was a huge priority and an element of their brand they are very proud of. If you are interested in working for Cleveland Clinic London or looking to start a new adventure, have a look at some of the links below where you can find more information about the pharmacy services, recruitment, and the Cleveland Clinic London life. Cleveland Clinic London Pharmacy Homepage Life at Cleveland Clinic London Current vacancies homepage at Cleveland Clinic London to search for opportunities An exciting Newly Qualified Clinical Pharmacist job currently advertised - closing date 01/08/2021 If you want to contact Francine, connect with her through her LinkedIn page. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I had the pleasure of chatting with Shilpa Patel, a pharmacist who made a successful transition from community pharmacy to a GP practice. This is a 3-part series so make sure you tune into all the episodes and you will gain so much insight into the world of GP practice from this incredibly talented and inspiring pharmacist. Before I dive into the episode itself, let me introduce you to Shilpa. Originally from Norway, Shilpa is proud to be among the pioneering GP pharmacist partners in the UK. With a background of 17-years in community pharmacy and 8 years as a clinical pharmacist, she has garnered extensive expertise in both sectors. Shilpa has cultivated a deep understanding of general practice by leading and mentoring a team of ten pharmacists, effectively guiding them to excel in their roles. She has evolved into a valued leader and is able to identify strengths and weaknesses in staff, colleagues and processes which enables her to deliver clinical services efficiently and effectively. In the beginning of this episode, Shilpa shares her inspiring journey of leaving a toxic work environment in community pharmacy to finding fulfillment and purpose in her role as a GP practice pharmacist. We dive into Shilpa's background, where she highlights the importance of reflecting on what you truly want from your career. You can watch or listen to Shilpa’s full career journey as we recorded this episode a couple of years ago (Episode 75). The bulk of this episode highlights the value of transferrable skills, resilience, and the ability to multitask that community pharmacists possess, which are essential in a GP practice setting. Shilpa discusses the business side of working in a GP practice, emphasising the need to understand the financial aspects, prescribing patterns, and the overall functioning of the practice. She shares valuable tips for pharmacists looking to transition to a GP practice, including researching the practice beforehand and understanding its challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, Shilpa talks about her initiative, Ask Shilpa, a comprehensive website where she shares her knowledge and experience accumulated over eight years in general practice. This resource serves as a training tool for pharmacists entering the field and has been widely utilised by healthcare professionals. Stay tuned for the next episodes where we dive deeper into Shilpa's experiences in building a team of pharmacists within the GP practice setting. Don't forget to check out Ask Shilpa for valuable insights and resources. See you in the next episode! SIGN UP to my NEWSLETTER below so you’ll be the first to know when new episodes are being released. You’ll also receive regular inspiration, tips, tools, and free content. https://pharmacistdiaries.ck.page/newsletter PARTNERSHIPS: The Naked Pharmacy is offering my podcast listeners a 20% discount on all their products. Use discount code PD20 at checkout to receive the offer. ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thenakedpharmacy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Healf is offering my podcast listeners a 10% discount on all their products. Use the following link to purchase products and the discount code will be applied at checkout. ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://healf.com/?snowball=ANISHA11032⁠⁠⁠⁠   CONNECT WITH SHILPA: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilpapharmacist/ Website: https://askshilpa.com Follow me on⁠⁠⁠⁠ My Website⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠, and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

Today is the start of a special series of episodes where I interview several paediatric pharmacists at the Evelina London Children's Hospital where I am currently employed. I work with an incredibly experienced team of paediatric pharmacists, some of which have been working in paediatrics for 25+ years! I kickstart this series with a super inspiring role model, colleague and friend, Nicola Husain.

Nicola is currently employed as an Academic Link Pharmacist which is a split role between Kings College London and the Evelina London Children's Hospital. She is a Senior Paediatric Pharmacist at the hospital with a special interest in Pain Management and Programme Director for Postgraduate Pharmacy Practice at the university. She leads the Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care International Internship Programme as well as the Foundation in Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care International Masterclass which we discuss in detail on the podcast. She is also working closely with the Neonatal and Paedatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG) from an educational perspective.

Nicola has built an incredible career pathway for herself with over 10 years of experience in paediatrics in various NHS Trusts across London. In the podcast, she also talks about her passion for travelling to India on several occasions, one of which involved a pharmacy advisory role for the Latika Roy Foundation. She is also a part time pharmacy advisor for CHIVA Africa and King's Sierra Leone Partnership. We didn't have time to talk about these two roles but if you'd like to know more information, please reach out to her.

***Watch this space for more information on the Foundation in Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care International Masterclass***

Social media:

Linkedin: Nicola Husain

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

On today's episode I am delighted to introduce Anjna Sharma to the podcast. Anjna is the current Director of Pharmacist Services at Soar Beyond. She joined the organisation in 2009 as a Primary Care Pharmacist and has experienced a variety of roles within the organisation. As a lead for the Pharmacist Service Division, her main focus and strengths revolve around supporing NHS partners to implement effective and sustainable change at an organisational level.

Soar Beyond is an innovative and dynamic healthcare consultancy and service provider. The Pharmacist Services team support an organisational approach to sustainably improve patient outcomes. This includes Medicines Optimisation, the i2i Network, the use of the SMART web platform, 4D Service Redesign, and Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. They are passionate about supporting practices, primary care networks, federations, and CCGs to effectively embed pharmacists as part of the multi-disciplinary team. If you haven't heard of them, I recommend you go to their website to check them out! They regularly have exciting recruitment opportunities that might be of interest to you! 

This episode highlights the value of, and demonstrates what you can achieve if you:

- think outside the box

- are adventurous in your career decisions

- think about challenging yourself without fear of the potential outcomes

- go outside your comfort zone

Social media:

Linkedin: Soar Beyond and Anjna Sharma

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

Check out the Stay Whole website for full access to my show notes. Also subscribe on the website for email news and free content and follow Stay Whole on instagram @staywholelife

On today's episode I am delighted to introduce Alex Barker to the podcast. Alex is the author of a recently published book, Indispensable: The Prescription for a Fulfilling Pharmacy Career and the founder of The Happy PharmD.

Alex created The Happy PharmD business as he is passionate about helping pharmacists create inspiring lives and careers; specifically by turning passions and strengths into businesses or new careers! You'll identify from the podcast that Alex hasn't always been a happy pharmacist. He felt like he had joined the wrong profession that did not satisfy his creative desires. He found himself miserable and desparately wanting change. He experienced a prolonged journey of figuring out who he was and accepting that. He understood it was necessary to lean into it rather than trying to pretend to be something he wasn't...

Since creating the Happy PharmD Platform, he has coached over 700 pharmacists to change their career pathways and start businesses that create more freedom and income.

The episode is definitely worth a listen!

Social media and useful links:

Instagram: @thehappypharmd

Twitter: @itsalexbarker

LinkedIn: Alex Barker, PharmD

The Happy PharmD website

The Happy PharmD blog (lots of interesting content here!!)

A YouTube video sharing Alex's journey

Alex is the author of a recently published book - Indispensable: The Prescription for a Fulfilling Pharmacy Career

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at info@pharmacistdiaries.com.

Check out the Stay Whole website for full access to my show notes. Also subscribe on the website for email news and free content and follow Stay Whole on instagram @staywholelife