Expanding my perspective: My rotation with the Medicines Optimisation and Pharmacy Procurement (MOPP) team

By Bhavika Vekeria, Rotational Pharmacist

Taking the time to reflect on my rotation at NHS London Procurement Partnership (NHS LPP) with the Medicines Optimisation and Pharmacy Procurement (MOPP) team has allowed me to see how much my understanding and perspective of the healthcare system has broadened.

I am a relatively junior pharmacist with three years of experience, so I am still continuing to build on my learning about the NHS system. I qualified whilst at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust and have recently transitioned to London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH).

My time has been split equally between LNWH and NHS LPP on a split rotation secondment. This has given me the opportunity to work alongside a current Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPhO) Clinical Fellow and two CPhO Clinical Fellow alumni, which has enhanced my learning and provided networking opportunities.

Initially, I found NHS LPP quite different from the fast-paced environment of a hospital. There were no bleeps or monitors going off every five minutes! However, it has given me a new appreciation for different pressures and unseen work that underpins what we do at patient level.

The collaborative nature of this work was something that I didn’t really appreciate before. The MOPP team engages with different ICBs, NHS trusts, suppliers and other stakeholders on a regular basis and it has been interesting to understand this dynamic and the different priorities.

I had the opportunity to work on the netFormulary project, which allowed me to refine my project management and data analysis skills. My role involved adding drugs to the netFormulary London Hospital-only List (HoL) and assessing the variation in categorisation of red list drugs across different ICSs. It aimed to reduce unwarranted variation, increase transparency and improve access to medication for patients across the capital footprint. This is especially relevant for patients where the hospital is located within a different locality to the GP surgery as lists differ across London.

I manually compared the red list drugs for consistency between the London HoL and the individual red lists of each ICS, evaluating approximately 960 drugs. Needless to say, my data skills were put to the test! This experience has greatly contributed to my professional growth and will be invaluable for my future career development.

I have also gained an understanding of frameworks while updating the MOPP section of the NHS LPP website, ensuring that all relevant framework information was easily accessible on the front end. This project enabled me to appreciate how these frameworks streamline procurement processes, ensure compliance with national standards, and contribute to cost savings and efficiency within the trusts. I also analysed the number of queries before and after the update, with the goal of reducing the volume of enquiries through these improvements.

Moving forward, I am excited to apply these skills in future roles, particularly in areas that focus on optimising healthcare delivery. I am eager to continue developing more skills, as I believe they will be essential in driving transformation and improving patient care outcomes. The collaborative experience at NHS LPP has enhanced my communication and teamwork abilities, which I intend to leverage in multidisciplinary settings to foster stronger partnerships and deliver impactful healthcare for patients.

This has been a fantastic learning opportunity, and I am grateful for the exposure and growth that it will bring. The MOPP team has a wealth of expertise, and I only wish I had more time to learn from them. I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone I have worked with along the way, and it has been a privilege to connect with so many individuals here at NHS LPP.