Pharmacist Diaries

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I’d like to introduce David Smith to the podcast. David is the current Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist and Chair of the Antimicrobial Steering Group at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust. David starts the conversation by talking about his journey from studying pharmacy in Belfast to becoming a pharmacist in England. He shares his experiences working in community and hospital pharmacy, the challenges of career progression, and the importance of finding your passion in the field. David also offers advice to younger pharmacists on how to approach career development and networking.

David also discusses his current role as an antimicrobial pharmacist at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, and how he is implementing digital solutions to support junior doctors in making better decisions for patients. He talks about the benefits of building efficient systems and tailoring them to specific drugs or indications, and how decision support tools can save time and improve patient outcomes.

David also shares his thoughts on the importance of shared parental leave and work-life balance, and how he is navigating these issues in his own career and family life. He emphasizes the need for employers to support both men and women in taking time off to care for their children, and the challenges that still exist in the current cultural and societal norms.

Overall, this podcast episode offers valuable insights into the following:

Whether you are newly qualified or with multiple years of experience, you’ll definitely find something to resonate with in this episode. David is extremely passionate about his career and the field of antimicrobials. I think I’d even say his dedication to this specialist area is infectious!

In this episode, we're thrilled to dive deep into the exciting journey of turning our passion project into a thriving business. As many of you know, my husband and I started this podcast as a labour of love, driven by our desire to inspire and empower pharmacists on a global scale. But as we've grown and evolved, we've realised that we want to take this project to the next level and turn it into a sustainable business that can support us and our mission for years to come.

That's why we're excited to share with you all the details on how we plan to monetise the podcast. We'll be discussing our strategy for affiliate links and exclusive discounts for our listeners, as well as our overall vision for the future of Pharmacist Diaries.

We understand that the idea of having affiliate links can sometimes be a controversial topic, but we want to be completely transparent and assure you that we only promote products or services that align with our values of health, productivity, longevity, wellbeing, kindness, and compassion. We only promote products that we use or believe in, and we'll always be upfront with you about any affiliate links we share. In addition to sharing our monetization strategy, we'll also be discussing our plans for partnerships and collaborations with organisations around the world. We're thrilled to have exciting projects in the pipeline, which we'll be sharing soon.

We truly believe in the power of collaboration and we're excited to partner with like-minded organisations to inspire and empower pharmacists around the globe. But it's not all about business and monetisation. We'll also be sharing our thoughts on working together as a team and the challenges that come with growing a podcast. We'll discuss how we balance our roles and responsibilities and how we stay motivated and committed to the vision of Pharmacist Diaries.

So if you're curious about the behind-the-scenes of our journey and want to hear all about our plans for the future, this episode is for you. Join us as we share the ups and downs of our adventure, and stay tuned for all the exciting things to come! Thank you for being a part of the Pharmacist Diaries community and for your continued support. We truly appreciate it and look forward to sharing more with you in the future!

In this episode, we hear from Sheree-Ann Michelle, a Pharmacist and Health & Wellness Coach. A short yet insightful conversation about the importance of aligning our life values with our professional roles. Sheree-Ann is a true advocate of taking more control of your mindset and creating a life that YOU want to build rather than conforming to what society expects or wants you to do. Let me know what you think!

Returning to work after maternity leave has been challenging for multiple reasons. In this episode, you'll hear about my transition back to work and the steps I'm taking to look after my health & well-being as I navigate through a challenging period of my life.

In this podcast week's exciting episode, Sunjay and I share a candid and inspiring life update. We reflect on our journey as entrepreneurs and parents, discussing how we balance our passions with the challenges of childcare. We share their achievements over the past year, including starting new jobs and building the Pharmacist Diaries website!

We emphasise the importance of self-motivation and following your passions, even when parenting and other life challenges seem to get in the way. We acknowledge the difficulty of finding a work-life balance that works for us, but aim to encourage you to take small steps towards your goals and documenting your progress.

In addition to discussing our personal journey, we also provide practical advice for listeners who are looking to make changes in their own lives. We suggest starting by identifying what it is that truly interests and motivates you, and then taking small, consistent steps towards those goals. We discuss the importance of prioritising your time and energy, and being intentional about how you spend both, as well as how we have had to pick and choose which tasks and projects to focus on depending on their energy levels and the demands of parenting and work. For us this journey has been a process of growth and learning, and I encourage you to embrace the unknown and take risks in pursuit of your passions.

Overall, this life update episode offers listeners an honest and inspiring conversation about pursuing your passions and achieving a fulfilling life, even in the face of obstacles. It is a must-listen for anyone looking to make positive changes in their life and work towards their goals.

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, Kevin Leivers, founder of The Naked Pharmacy, shares his personal and professional journey as a pharmacist. Kevin's passion for science and health started at a young age, which led him to pursue a career in pharmacy. He has 35 years of experience in both conventional and natural pharmaceutical industries. He founded The Naked Pharmacy, a company that aims to provide high-quality and evidence-based natural supplements to support health and wellness. By creating The Naked Pharmacy, Kevin hopes to help bridge the gap between traditional pharmacy and natural medicine, and provide patients with a wider range of options for improving their health.

In this episode, Kevin highlights the importance of pharmacists providing personalised advice and support to patients beyond just medication. He believes that pharmacists have a crucial role to play in the future of healthcare, but the industry needs to undergo significant changes and evolve to meet the needs of patients. Kevin also discusses the challenges facing the pharmacy industry, including the pressures of community pharmacy and the need for more resources. One of the most inspiring aspects of this episode is Kevin's encouragement for pharmacists to think outside the box and invent their own roles within the field. He believes that pharmacists should be open to new ideas and embrace innovation to stay relevant and make a difference in patients' lives. He also shares his experience of developing his own company and how he had to be creative and innovative to make it a success.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the world of pharmacy and the potential for pharmacists to make a significant impact in the future of healthcare. Whether you're a pharmacist or considering a career in pharmacy, this is an engaging and informative conversation with Kevin Leivers that you won't want to miss.

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.

Mental health has to be at the centre of patient care and here's why it is so important to the next generation.

This is from podcast 85 with Sandeep Kapur a clinical pharmacist currently working for an organisation called Health & Beyond. As a pharmacist, Sandeep works across several GP practices providing support to patients through structured medication reviews and has special interest in Mental Health. She also has experience in a hospital outpatient pharmacy and several years of working as a community pharmacist.

Life doesn't end when you complete your university degree and you step into the real world of working life. It's only just beginning and here's a short story of how you can tune into your intuition to make the best choices for your future.

This is from podcast 85 with Sandeep Kapur a clinical pharmacist currently working for an organisation called Health & Beyond. As a pharmacist, Sandeep works across several GP practices providing support to patients through structured medication reviews and has special interest in Mental Health. She also has experience in a hospital outpatient pharmacy and several years of working as a community pharmacist.

On this episode you'll hear my perspective on the current curriculum for undergraduate pharmacy students and what I believe students need to do to make the most out of their learning experiences. You'll hear my thoughts on the steps that students need to take now that will help them be the best version of themselves in the future. 

This is from podcast 85 with Sandeep Kapur a clinical pharmacist currently working for an organisation called Health & Beyond. As a pharmacist, Sandeep works across several GP practices providing support to patients through structured medication reviews and has special interest in Mental Health. She also has experience in a hospital outpatient pharmacy and several years of working as a community pharmacist.

Everyone experiences fear in their life and in their career. It is natural to feel this way even when it feels really challenging in the moment. How you approach that fear and the steps you take to overcome it is where you will develop personal and professional growth!

It can be overwhelming as a trainee pharmacist to pick the right job when you qualify. You also feel like you need to make decisions about this 6 months into the training year as this is when employers tend to start advertising positions. We all go through the anxiety of making the right decision for ourselves amongst all the competition of every other trainee pharmacist securing a role for themselves alongside you.

Here is a clip where you get insight into Stephanie's thought processes when she was looking for her first role. We dive deeper into this discussion during the episode too.  This is from Episode 76 of the podcast with Stephanie Tyler. As a reminder, Stephanie 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.

The change from student life to working life can be mentally challenging for a lot of trainee pharmacists. Your ability to adapt to a new environment can make or break you. Shirin shares a personal experience during her training year which was challenging. We learn how she manages this change, the mindset shift she makes to make the most out of the situation, and the learning she takes away from it so it becomes easier the next time.

If you are a parent, this clip will 100% resonate with your journey into family life. For those of you who are currently pregnant or planning on having children whilst working as a pharmacist...then tune into this clip. 

Sandeep provides us all with insight into the realities of becoming a parent for the first time. It can be a lonely journey where you feel like a break in your career takes you 10 steps backwards when all you want to do is move forward.  

However, parenting is all about perspective. It is a beautiful opportunity to immerse yourself in a completely new environment where your purpose changes dramatically. Your life turns upside down and for some of us this transition is extremely challenging. I know I felt that way when I had Lilyanna in 2017! BUT remember that your career is on a short pause and you can step right back into your role or potentially have the courage to step into a new position which aligns with your life as a family unit.  

On today’s episode you are in for a treat as I get to introduce Shirin Alwash to the podcast! Shirin is a highly skilled pharmacist with experience in the NHS, community and commercial settings. She has a can do, will do, and won’t take no for an answer attitiude! She is currently responsible for the training and development of Foundation Year Training Pharmacists and qualified Pharmacists in the Paydens Pharmacy Group which spans across 115 Pharmacies in the South of England. Her determination to support the next generation of pharmacists to become successful professionals and advocate for their development shines throughout this episode and is one of the main reasons I wanted to have a conversation with her today.

Once we dive into our conversation, Shirin reflects on her career choices and her deep understanding of her strengths, her fears, and her passions. She has found the time to understand what she truly wants from her career and has taken the necessary steps to chase those dreams. It is evident from our conversation that she is courageous! She loves a new challenge, enjoys thinking outside the box, and is not afraid of failure.

Prior to her current role, she was the Regional Training Manager for Interface Clinical Services where she specialised in delivering clinical therapy training to Pharmacists working in Primary Care. Specialist Clinical Therapy areas included Respiratory, Diabetes and Osteoporosis. She has also spent a considerable amount of time working as a community pharmacist and managing community pharmacy teams in the early stages of her career. As a big advocate of what Pharmacists can achieve, she has also been acting as an Ambassador for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society for the past 4 years.

On Episode 81 of the podcast with Tim Ulbrich, Tim shares the story behind becoming a pharmacist and what he is passionable about!

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.

This clip comes from Episode 84 of the podcast with Sandeep Kapur where she talks about being consumed by anxiety from her teenage years and how she found a way to manage those feelings.

Sandeep Kapur a clinical pharmacist currently working for an organisation called Health & Beyond. As a pharmacist, Sandeep works across several GP practices providing support to patients through structured medication reviews and has special interest in Mental Health. She also has experience in a hospital outpatient pharmacy and several years of working as a community pharmacist.

Hi friends! Welcome to one of first of many 'daily dose' episodes of the podcast. I will be selecting my favourite sections of previous episodes of the Pharmacists Diaries Podcast.

On today's daily dose, we get insight into the day to day life of a super awesome pharmacist working in HIV, Sexual and Reproductive Health.  This is from Episode 76 of the podcast with Stephanie Tyler. As a reminder, Stephanie 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.  

Hi friends! Today I am releasing a special episode of the podcast where I share an intimate conversation with my husband, Sunjay Vyas. This episode was recorded well over a year ago and I had released the content as audio only.

I am re-releasing the episode today as a reminder of where I was professionally and personally in 2021. This was when we had first moved into our new home and a few months before I found out I was pregnant again! I was celebrating the fact that the podcast had accomplished 10,000 downloads across 90 countries which was a huge achievement!  

In the next few weeks, Sunjay and I will be recording another life update for you all. So much has changed since then and we are excited to share those moments with you.  Please excuse my voice in the episode as I was recovering from a virus at the time...not my usual relaxing tone that you all seem to love so much! :)

Follow Sunjay:

Hi friends! Welcome back to one of many 'daily dose' episodes of the podcast. I will be selecting my favourite sections of previous episodes of the Pharmacists Diaries Podcast.  

On today's daily dose, we learn exactly why an amazing pharmacist created a mindfulness diary for children. This clip comes from Episode 84 of the podcast with Sandeep Kapur. Sandeep Kapur a clinical pharmacist currently working for an organisation called Health & Beyond. As a pharmacist, Sandeep works across several GP practices providing support to patients through structured medication reviews and has special interest in Mental Health. She also has experience in a hospital outpatient pharmacy and several years of working as a community pharmacist.

Welcome to the new 'daily dose' episodes of the podcast. I will be selecting my favourite sections of previous episodes of the Pharmacists Diaries Podcast.

On today's daily dose, I talk about my passion for service improvement and wanting to implement positive changes in my workplace as quickly and effectively as I can. In this clip from Episode 82 of the podcast with Ayodeji Matuluko, we share our experience with learning new tools and gaining new skills that we know will make a big impact within the organisations we work for. However, in reality there are hurdles or obstacles we need to overcome in order to implement that change. This can be frustrating when you are excited to share your passion for service improvement with your team, but shifting your mindset and taking a step back to see the bigger picture can change everything!

Hi friends! Welcome back to one of many 'daily dose' episodes of the podcast. I will be selecting my favourite sections of previous episodes of the Pharmacists Diaries Podcast.  

On today's daily dose, we get insight into my love for creativity and how I embed this into my role as a pharmacist.  This clip comes from Episode 84 of the podcast with Sandeep Kapur. Sandeep Kapur a clinical pharmacist currently working for an organisation called Health & Beyond. As a pharmacist, Sandeep works across several GP practices providing support to patients through structured medication reviews and has special interest in Mental Health. She also has experience in a hospital outpatient pharmacy and several years of working as a community pharmacist.    

On today’s episode, I am excited to share a conversation with a clinical pharmacist with one powerful goal in mind: to make a proactive change for the mental wellbeing of the younger generation.

Hi friends! Welcome to the new 'daily dose' episodes of the podcast. I will be selecting my favourite sections of previous episodes of the Pharmacists Diaries Podcast.

On today's daily dose, we hear from Tim Ulbrich on Episode 81 of the podcast! Tim shares his opinion on how the roles within pharmacy are constantly expanding. Whether this is non-traditional roles, entrepreneurs, or pharmacists developing businesses, it is an exciting time to be a pharmacist.   

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.

Hi friends! Welcome to my new 'daily dose' episodes of the podcast. I will be selecting my favourite sections of previous episodes of the Pharmacists Diaries Podcast. 

In this clip from Episode 82 of the podcast with Ayodeji Matuluko, you will hear me talking about my experience working in Abu Dhabi and the impact of medication supply issues outside of the UK. Working internationally really helped me to understand how fortunate I am to live and work in the UK where medication supply can be taken from granted in comparison to other countries.    

Hi friends! Welcome to the first of many 'daily dose' episodes of the podcast. I will be selecting my favourite sections of previous episodes of the Pharmacists Diaries Podcast. 

On today's daily dose, we get insight into what it is like to practice as a pharmacist in Malaysia. This clip comes from Episode 83 of the podcast with Alyson Tee. Alyson completed her MPharm degree at Kings College London in 2022 with first class honours. She is currently completing her Trainee Pharmacist role which is split between Industry and Community Pharmacy.  

On today’s episode you are fortunate enough to hear a conversation with Trainee Pharmacist, Alyson Tee! Alyson completed her MPharm degree at Kings College London in 2022 with first class honours. She is currently completing her Trainee Pharmacist role which is split between Industry and Community Pharmacy.

It is evident from Alyson’s achievements that she is dedicated to the pharmacy profession and is always seeking out opportunities to grow as an individual as well as a professional. Alyson’s attitude towards growth is inspiring and I was delighted to hear about all of her experiences and achievements to date:

We kickstart our conversation by talking about the pharmacy profession in Malaysia as this is where Alyson is from originally. We then discuss in detail her experience as a university student, tips for job applications and interviews, interview questions that arise for Trainee Pharmacist Industry Roles, and making the most of learning opportunities that arise on a day to day basis.

A great episode for pharmacy students who want to feel inspired! Alyson is a role model for the younger generation of pharmacy students and I am proud to have launched this episode with her.

On today’s episode, I am thrilled to introduce Ayodeji Matuluko to the podcast. Ayodeji started her journey into pharmacy at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. To date, she has 10 years of broad experience in community and hospital pharmacy, public health, medical communications and global health research. During our conversation, we hear about her passion for learning and how the courses she has embarked on have opened doors and enhanced her opportunities within this profession.  

- She graduated from Univeristy of Lagos, Nigeria, in 2012 with a BPharm 

- She then completed an MSc in Clinical Pharmacy, International Practice and Policy at University College London (UCL) in 2016 

- She then started fellowship training with West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists but realised that this course didn’t quite align with what she wanted to achieve so instead embarked on a PhD instead 

- Her Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) in Feasibility and Acceptability of an Intervention(s) to Enhance Antimicrobial Stewardship in Hospitals will hopefully be completed in June 2023  

Our conversation focuses a lot of time on her motivation to become a better person and a better professional. Her experience to date indicates how determined she is to learn and how much she enjoys taking this knowledge and applying into practice in her roles as a pharmacist. Her passion for education aligns with her long-term vision to be part of the growth of clinical pharmacy and the development of pharmacy-led services in Nigeria where these are not well developed.   

We also spent a lot of time discussing the value of increasing your network and how this has led to so many incredible opportunities and evolved her interests within the profession. Some of these opportunities/highlights include:  

- Joining the LiveWell Initiative (LWI) as a postgraduate intern/academy officer. She picked up important skills, quickly learnt how to work and collaborate with people from different disciplines and was recognised as the best intern that year 

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 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! 

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! 

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!

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!

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).

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.

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