Ambulance service offers first pharmacy technician trainee role

The UK’s first ambulance pharmacy technician apprentice is days away from completing her registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council. Mahrukh Jaffar started her apprenticeship with London Ambulance Service two years ago, which is run in collaboration with Barts Health NHS Trust.

She had previously worked part-time in a pharmacy while pursuing her master’s in economics at the University of Greenwich. This role sparked an interest in healthcare and pharmaceutical services which led to a job in the service’s medicines packing unit.

“I applied for the apprenticeship because I wanted to learn more about medicines management, patient safety and healthcare.

“It’s very rewarding to know my work is benefiting patients all across London. We have to be very careful when packing medicines for clinicians because they are working in a very fast paced environment so they rely on us to get it right.”

Mahrukh Jaffar.

Mahrukh combines working in the ambulance medicines packing unit and Barts Hospital with study days, meaning she has practical and theoretical knowledge of medicines distribution, stock control, clinical guidance and regulatory compliance.

The service’s pharmacy team processes hundreds of thousands of medicines every year which are administered by ambulance crews in a variety of settings, including those that are chaotic or even dangerous.

“You do need to be accurate and pay attention to details. Patients depend on me – my work makes a difference.”

Mahrukh already has a key role in ensuring ambulance crews have the medicines they need for critical patients and will soon be able to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council, making her eligible for jobs across the NHS.

It is opportunities like these that has led to London Ambulance Service becoming renowned as a trailblazer and named the top London employer and top NHS employer for apprenticeships.

It has since employed a further two pharmacy technician apprentices. London Ambulance Service recruited its first full-time Chief Pharmacist in 2017. 

“Mahrukh and our other apprentices play a vital role in the largest pharmaceutical team of any ambulance service in the country.

“Our team’s care and attention is improving patient care and ensuring crews can prepare their ambulances with stocks of medication quicker and more safely than ever before.”

Sumithra Maheswaran, Chief Pharmacist.

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