Meet the pharmacists behind our patient care
To mark World Pharmacists Day, meet Beenish and Layla as they share what it’s really like to be a pharmacist.
Every prescription that is clinically checked, every clinical query that is answered and every treatment decision that is supported has one thing in common: pharmacy expertise.
At Sciensus, pharmacists play a vital role in helping patients receive safe and effective treatment. Working closely with colleagues, healthcare professionals and hospital teams, they use their specialist knowledge to support patients throughout their treatment journey.
This World Pharmacists Day, we’re celebrating the pharmacists working across Sciensus and the expertise, care and commitment they bring to patients every day. To find out more, we spoke to two of our pharmacy colleagues about their careers, their roles and what being a pharmacist means to them.
Beenish, Lead Clinical Pharmacist
What inspired you to become a pharmacist?
I’ve always been fascinated by science and healthcare, particularly how medicines are developed and how they can change someone’s life. What I love about pharmacy is that it combines science with people. I get to enjoy the detail and complexity of medicines while using that knowledge to make a practical difference to patient care.
What does a typical day look like?
No two days are the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most about the role. My day can involve clinically checking prescriptions, supporting colleagues with medicines advice, answering clinical queries and resolving issues that could delay treatment. A big part of my job is taking something complex and making it accessible and useful for colleagues and patients.
How do pharmacists help make a difference to patients every day?
When you work in healthcare, especially cancer care, you become very aware of how valuable people’s time is. Whether it’s helping someone access treatment, preventing a problem or making treatment safer, our role is about adding value to that time. Behind every prescription and clinical decision is a person, and it’s important never to lose sight of that.
What’s the most rewarding part of your role?
Knowing that something I’ve done has helped make a patient’s treatment safer, more effective or simply a little easier. Cancer can feel overwhelming for many people. If I can help make cancer and cancer medicines feel less confusing or daunting, and help patients feel more informed and in control, that’s incredibly rewarding.
What would you like colleagues to know about pharmacists on World Pharmacists Day?
Behind every medicine, clinical check and treatment decision are people. We love the science, but the science has a purpose. It’s about using our understanding of medicines to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives and ensuring every patient receives the safest and most effective care possible.
Layla, Clinical Pharmacist, Featherstone
What inspired you to become a pharmacist?
I’ve always wanted a career where my knowledge could have a practical impact on people’s lives. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate just how humbling a career in pharmacy can be. At any point, any of us could find ourselves in a patient’s shoes, and when that happens, you’d want people to do their very best for you. That’s something I carry with me every day.
Many people think pharmacists only dispense medication. What’s the reality?
Dispensing is just one part of pharmacy and, depending on the role, it’s often only a small part of what we do. Pharmacists are medicines experts. We look at the bigger picture, making sure medicines are appropriate, safe and effective for each patient. It’s not just about the medicine itself. It’s about understanding the medicine in the context of the patient.
What might surprise colleagues about the work pharmacists do at Sciensus?
Probably how much clinical judgement, problem-solving and collaboration is involved. Pharmacy can be a bit like detective work. We’re constantly piecing information together, asking questions and spotting things that might not be immediately obvious. We also work closely with different teams and hospital partners to make sure we get things right for patients.
What’s the most rewarding part of your role?
The most rewarding part is knowing that the work I do can genuinely make a difference to a patient. Many of the patients we support have been on a long and often challenging healthcare journey. Being able to reassure someone, talk through their concerns and help them feel more informed about their treatment is incredibly rewarding. I’m proud to be a pharmacist because, while we bring specialist knowledge about medicines, we also understand the person behind the prescription.
What would you like colleagues to know about pharmacists on World Pharmacists Day?
Pharmacists are much more than the people who supply medicines. We’re clinicians, problem-solvers, medicines experts and an important part of the wider patient care team. We’re grateful for all the teams we work alongside because everyone plays a role in supporting patients. If there’s one thing I’d like colleagues to remember, it’s that we’ll always try to help where we can. For us, it’s never just about the medicine. It’s about the patient at the heart of it.
Thank you to our pharmacy colleagues
This World Pharmacists Day, we’d like to thank Beenish, Layla and all our pharmacy colleagues for the expertise, care and commitment they bring to patients every day.
Whether they’re providing specialist medicines advice, supporting treatment decisions, solving complex challenges behind the scenes, or helping patients feel informed and reassured, pharmacists play a vital role in the care we provide.
Thank you for everything you do to help patients receive safe, effective and high-quality care, and for the expertise and compassion you bring to every stage of the treatment journey.
