More than just a tech: celebrating our pharmacy technicians
Today, during National Pharmacy Week, we’re celebrating Pharmacy Technician Day and shining a spotlight on our pharmacy technicians and the important contribution they make to patient care.
This year’s theme, ‘More Than Just a Tech’, celebrates the range of work pharmacy technicians do and how their role continues to grow and evolve.
We spoke to Pooja, our Chief Pharmacy Technician, about what the theme means to her. Since qualifying as a pharmacy technician in 2012, Pooja has seen the profession come a long way. For her, the day is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the difference between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, who have distinct but equally important roles in supporting safe and effective patient care.
Explaining the difference, Pooja said:
“Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are both registered pharmacy professionals, but our roles are distinct and complementary. Pharmacists hold overall clinical responsibility, ensuring that medicines and doses are safe, appropriate and tailored to each patient's individual needs, taking into account their medical history and other treatments.
“Pharmacy technicians play a vital role in the safe and effective management of medicines. We are responsible for sourcing, preparing, dispensing, checking and supplying medicines, while also supporting patients to ensure they receive the right medication at the right time.
“We make a valuable contribution to patient care every day. Our pharmacy dispensary (where medicines are prepared and supplied to patients) is technician-led, with pharmacy technicians overseeing every stage of getting medicines safely to patients, from ordering and managing stock to dispensing and supplying medicines and providing advice to patients.
"When patients, carers and colleagues visit the dispensary, it will often be a pharmacy technician there to help, supplying medicines, answering questions and offering advice. Our pharmacy support staff also play an important role, working alongside the team to help ensure our services run smoothly.
“The profession has evolved considerably over the years. Today, we contribute far beyond the dispensary, taking on wider clinical, operational, leadership, education, quality improvement and management responsibilities."
For Pooja, one of the most rewarding parts of her role is supporting her team and seeing the difference their work makes for patients.
“What keeps me motivated is the people. I enjoy helping colleagues solve problems, develop their skills and feel supported in their work. We’re a great team, and everyone works really hard for our patients.
“Knowing that our collective effort helps patients receive their medicines on time, without delays to their treatment, gives me a real sense of pride. When that medicine makes it to the patient, all the hard work is worth it.”
Happy Pharmacy Technician Day to Pooja and all our pharmacy technicians, and a very happy National Pharmacy Week to our whole pharmacy team! Thank you for everything you do to support our patients, colleagues and services.
Photo caption: Pooja Singh, Chief Pharmacy Technician, standing next to Spencer the Dispenser in our pharmacy dispensary at Springfield Hospital.
