How long have you been in your pharmacy role?
I started my career in pharmacy in 2012 working at South Tees as a student technician.
Once qualified I began working within aseptic services, a vocation I have loved since starting pharmacy.
I left for a short while working with other pharmacy manufacturing units within the NHS gaining experience within my field.
I came back home to South Tees nearly five years ago to continue my career within aseptic services, bringing with me the knowledge and experience I had learned to help continually improve the services that we provide.
What qualifications did you need and where did you gain them?
The qualifications needed to be a technician are a BTEC level three diploma in pharmaceutical science and an NVQ level three in pharmacy services.
These qualifications were gained as part of a two-year apprenticeship based at South Tees, attending college one day a week.
Upon completion you then register as a professional with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
The skills required to work within aseptic services are gained through work-based experience and on-site training within a manufacturing unit.
Tell us something about your role people might not be aware of
As an aseptic pharmacy technician, I work within a high-performing pharmacy team in an unlicensed production unit, that provides medicinal products for cancer services and the nutritional needs of neonatal babies and adults.
We make cytotoxic chemotherapy, monoclonal antibody treatments, parenteral nutrition, extemporaneous medicines and pain refills.
Aseptic services play a vital role within pharmacy, providing treatment to the most vulnerable patients within the trust.
What do you like about working at South Tees in Pharmacy?
The roles within pharmacy have developed so much over the years and continue to do so, therefore providing staff the opportunity to develop themselves within the variety of areas of pharmacy.
My love for aseptics services started the moment I started my career here at South Tees and continues to grow knowing I’m providing a high-quality service to all our patients.
One of the biggest things I like here at South Tees is the pharmacy team, in particular the aseptics team which I’m part of.
Aseptics is more than just a team, we’re a family, a family who support each other, help develop one another, and together provide the best service for our most vulnerable patients.