Helping to develop our profession

Having worked in community, hospital and academia, I understand the challenges the pharmacy profession faces, but there is a great opportunity for us to develop new ways of working to further enhance the profession.

Widespread engagement and understanding regarding the value of pharmacists is key and I have advocated the role of the pharmacist to the public via multiple media channels to raise awareness among the public that pharmacists are an essential part of patient care.

I have also been working with schools to further promote the profession as a career choice. My role as an adviser for the Commonwealth Pharmacist Association, which promotes and disseminates the pharmaceutical sciences throughout the Commonwealth, has allowed promotion of the role of pharmacists on a global level.

I have been actively involved with the development of preregistration pharmacists, and have authored books to help them through their education journey. Having listened to their learning needs, I founded and developed the hugely popular Royal Pharmaceutical Society preregistration courses. I attribute a large part of their success to the fact that I continuously draw on the expertise of pharmacists from all areas of practice to teach on the programme. By cultivating and supporting this multi-specialty team, I rapidly implement changes regarding preregistration training and assessment into the programme.

I strongly believe that ongoing development is an integral component of being a professional, and continue to mentor and develop pharmacists after qualification. My knowledge of pharmacist education at undergraduate and postgraduate level and of the workforce pressures we currently face, allows me to effectively understand the current challenges to, and opportunities for, our profession.

The RPS is working tirelessly to be the professional voice of pharmacy and to support the education and development of the profession. I wish to continue to support the great work it has been doing.

Being an elected member of the board, I want to be actively involved in discussions that set the vision for pharmacy and raise the profile of pharmacists among the public and the government. I am standing for election because I want to be a driver within the English Pharmacy Board, help develop our profession, and give it the prominence and exposure it deserves.

I want to have the opportunity to engage with the public, the profession and key stakeholders to champion the role of the pharmacist. As your board representative, I shall always strive to ensure that the strategic objectives of the professional body align to your voice as members.

Nadia Bukhari

Election candidate

English Pharmacy Board, Royal Pharmaceutical Society