"My work benefits all across London," says ambulance pharmacy technician

Mahrukh Jaffar will create history when she becomes the first apprentice to become a qualified pharmacy technician through the London Ambulance Service.

Jaffar is just days away from completing her registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

She is completing an apprenticeship with London Ambulance Service which is run in collaboration with Barts Health NHS Trust.

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

“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.”

Jaffar works in the medicines packing unit, ensuring ambulances are equipped with the necessary medicines to treat patients when they are out on call. She combines her practical skills with clinical knowledge she is learning whilst studying four days at St Barts Hospital.

Her interest in the profession began when she worked part-time in a pharmacy whilst studying for master’s in economics at the University of Greenwich.

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

“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.”

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.

The London Ambulance Service play a critical role in supporting patients and often need a wide-range of medicines to treat people.

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

The London Ambulance service is building on its pharmacy apprentice programme and has gone on to employ two more pharmacy technician apprentices.