Secrets of an NHS LPP pharmacy technician

Blog series by Kalveer Flora, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Clinical Fellow, NHS LPP.

I began my clinical fellowship at NHS London Procurement Partnership (NHS LPP), a month ago and one of the most valuable things has been working alongside a multi-talented team, with each member bringing a different skill set to the table.  What this means in every day working life, is that all team members contribute something different to the jigsaw puzzle and we can all learn different things from each other.  

This brings me nicely to the subject of my blog for October.  In order to mark and support Pharmacy Technician Day – “soar to new heights” on 19th October, I wanted get some insights into the role of a Pharmacy Technician at NHS LPP.  Our very own Pharmacy Technician - Tracy McMillan (pictured right), who is our Pharmacy Procurement Operational lead for the Medicines Optimisation and Pharmacy Procurement (MOPP) team, provides some key highlights from her role below.

Why did you choose a career in pharmacy procurement and how did you come to work at NHS LPP? 

“Having worked in most areas of hospital pharmacy, from non-sterile production, prepacking, ward pharmacy and dispensary, I was asked to join a project team installing automation and a new IT system. During this time, I began to appreciate the role of pharmacy procurement and took on the role of pharmacy procurement lead.  I soon discovered the true meaning of ‘you don’t know what you don’t know!’ 

I then embarked on a secondment for two days a week with NHS LPP. One of my key tasks was to network with users of the service, such as chief pharmacists, pharmacy procurement leads, clinical and non-clinical NHS colleagues across Primary Care Networks, NHS England and NHS Improvement, Clinical Commissioning Groupss and secondary care trusts. I worked in collaboration with other workstreams and organisations including the Commercial Medicines Unit (CMU), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Specialist Pharmacy Services (SPS), pharmaceutical suppliers and homecare providers.  As an experienced Pharmacy Procurement Lead, I embraced the opportunity to bridge the gap between the strategic vision and the reality on the shop floor.  This supported us all to work together to deliver on the NHS Long Term Plan through a “Once for London” approach which ultimately aimed to improve patient outcomes.”

What would your advice be for other pharmacy technicians looking to specialise in procurement? 

“I would advise starting with the basics and understanding what pharmacy procurement really is. Before taking on my role, I was very naïve to the world of pharmacy procurement and thought it was “placing a few orders”, but soon realised it was much more than that. Every day the NHS faces new challenges and there is not one set of rules that solve all issues. Drawing on experience to achieve the optimum outcome and coming up with solutions is what keeps patients safe.  I am always happy for any colleagues with a genuine interest in procurement to email me and I have listed some resources below.”

What do you envision for pharmacy technicians in the future; how can they soar to new heights?

“I very much welcome the development of a new national technician post with DHSC, working alongside national teams to develop technician roles further.  I believe technicians and pharmacists can work together to complement each other, with technicians bringing a different aspect and way of thinking.  With the changes that are going on within the NHS, the future opportunities for pharmacy technicians will be greater and within all aspects of pharmacy.”

Thank you to Tracy for taking the time to speak with me about the role of a Pharmacy Technician. Pharmacy Technicians play a huge role both in our MOPP team and also as part of the wider NHS system when delivering patient care. I’d like to finish this month’s blog by wishing all Pharmacy Technicians a very happy World Pharmacy Technician Day!

Tracy’s top resources for more information on pharmacy procurement:

1. Guide to medicine procurement in the UK

2. Procurement for non-procurement staff

3. Induction training course for pharmacy trust buyers