As we approach the end of the upcoming elections for the English Pharmacy Board, I am excited to share with you my vision for fostering and catalysing talent within the pharmacy profession to support its growth and evolution.
Pharmacy is a dynamic and evolving profession, driven by innovation, pharmacy practice, and the needs of patients and communities. Many of us qualified pharmacists and members of the pharmacy team have moved across sectors, areas, and teams all in the hunt for new challenges, experiences, qualifications and learning outcomes. For some movement is for a new role and for others it can be for personal reasons. To thrive personally and professionally, learning new topics and adding to one’s competency can be imperative to growth. Yet there is still a barrier when wanting to move cross sector. Why? – When so many have achieved this within silos. It is now imperative that we harness this information to empower our community of members as a whole. In this rapidly changing dynamic landscape, we need to invest in nurturing, empowering and fostering the movement of talent within our professional network and support each other to grow.
I am sure we all remember back to our university days learning about the role of a catalyst. Transforming the RPS into a catalyst to pool talented pharmacy professionals together will enhance and harness the power our profession holds, and its impact within the wider healthcare system.
One of my key priorities as a member of the English Pharmacy Board will be to champion initiatives that support the professional development and growth of pharmacy teams through catalysing talent. This includes advocating for comprehensive training programs, development of more diverse workstreams, continuation of mentorship opportunities, and continuing education resources to ensure that all members have the knowledge, skills, and support they need to excel wherever they move around the country.
Within this, I am committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the pharmacy profession. To be clear, this includes diversity of thought, calling upon those pharmacists who have trained via the OSPAP route. I believe that a diverse workforce brings a wealth of perspectives, experiences, and ideas that are essential for driving innovation. I am deeply passionate about the future of pharmacy and am committed to working to ensure that our profession continues to thrive and evolve.
Yasmin Karsan
