PharmaSense

Happy New Year & Welcome back to our listeners. Join us for season 2 of the PharmaSense Podcast. 

We kick season 2 episode 1 with our special guest the renowned Dr Ajay Verma, Consultant Gastroenterologist & Physician at Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. 

Dr Verma graduated from Leicester Medical School, following qualification he found himself enjoying working within gastroenterology leading to him pursuing the Gastroenterology and General Medicine training pathway and gaining his consultancy post. 

Alongside his clinical work, Dr Verma takes a keen interest in research. He holds various roles from Interim Director of Research and Development at Kettering Hospitals as well as being an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Leicester Cancer research centre. 

Dr Verma also holds the title of Chair of the New Consultants Committee at the Royal College of Physicians and is passionate about the mentoring and empowering of others. 

You may also have heard of Dr Verma from his famous GastroTwearls on Twitter. Dr Verma has utilised the Twitter-sphere to share informative educational pieces, latest guidance and improve patient care.

Within this episode, our main topic of discussion will be the British Societies of Gastroenterology (BSG) newly updated guidelines for the management of Iron Deficiency anaemia (IDA) in adults, which Dr Verma was a co-author of. We discuss the key changes in these guidelines, signs/symptoms, causes, investigations, and management of IDA. 

Listen in as we also discuss breaking bad news, the dreaded med reg role, and Dr. Verma’s advice for those early on in their healthcare careers. 

Guest Speaker

- Dr Ajay Verma

- Twitter @UKGastroDr

- Consultant Gastroenterologist & Physician

- Chair of New Consultants Committee at RCP

- Honorary senior lecturer at the Leicester Cancer research 

Site created by Dr Verma for patient information regarding endoscopies. 

https://www.myendoscopy.co.uk 

Please feel free to contact us regarding any questions or feedback at [email protected]

Join us for a special episode, “A Day in the Life of an Advanced Gastroenterology Pharmacist"

In this episode we meet Mohammed Allah-Ditta, an Advanced Gastroenterology Pharmacist with a specialist interest in IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) working at the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

Mohammed shares his journey from starting his MPharm, as a second degree at the University of Huddersfield, following a previous degree in pharmaceutical science. Throughout his MPharm, Mohammed has worked within community pharmacy after which he moved into secondary care for his pre-registration training year. Upon qualifying as a Pharmacist Mohammed was keen to break the ‘norm’, push the boundaries and develop as much as possible. This involved Mohammed becoming deeply embedded within the multidisciplinary team (MDT), on wards and attending MDT meetings early on his in career as a Pharmacist.

Mohammed excelled as a pharmacist and his MDT style of working, gained much support from the Medical consultants and thus secured Mohammed a senior position as an Advanced Gastroenterology Pharmacist within the medical division.

Mohammed’s roles include leading the prescribing on ward rounds, conducting his own IBD clinics, and also directorate work liaising with CCG’s on a wider level.

Mohammed has a clear passion for healthcare and education; discussing his thoughts on how Pharmacists should be developing, the MPharm and reform needed to develop the course towards a more patient facing clinical future. 

Listen in to learn more about IBD, the role of a gastroenterology Pharmacist and for advice on how to develop and evolve as a Pharmacist. Hear the challenges he has faced to get to his role and what Mohammed loves about his work.

Guest Speaker

-          Mohammed Allah-Ditta

-          Advanced Gastroenterology Pharmacist

-          Twitter @Dittanhs001

Please feel free to contact us for any questions or feedback at [email protected]

Join us for a special episode with Dr Habib Naqvi MBE, Director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory.

In this episode we hear an open and transparent discussion on Health Inequalities, BME & EDI Challenge within Healthcare and Society.

Dr Habib Naqvi is the Director for the NHS Race and Health Observatory, and has a background in public health, health psychology, healthcare policy and strategy development. His passion for the health sector stemmed from his father who was a Pharmacist. Dr Naqvi undertook his BSc in Psychology, topping it up with an MSc in health psychology and went to complete a PhD in Predictive gene testing.

Between 2013 and 2020, Dr Naqvi worked at NHS England where he led on a national EDI policy and strategy for the NHS. He oversaw the development and implementation of programmes such the Equality Delivery System (EDS), and the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES).

Before joining NHS England, Dr Naqvi led the national equality and diversity policy at the Department of Health and Social Care, including leading on the health sector’s response to the UK government’s review of the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Dr Naqvi is a Trustee for the Mary Seacole Trust. As well as being a reverse mentor to the NHS Chief Executive, Sir Simon Stevens.

His list of accolades are many with him being listed in the Health Service Journal’s 80 most influential people in health 2020/21 and awarded an MBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to equality and diversity in the NHS.

Listen in as Dr Naqvi discusses the lack of BME senior leaders in the NHS and the structural inequalities in society. Hear how Covid has restructured the way BME, health inequalities and disparities are being challenged from the creation of the NHS Race and Health Observatory to the PHE report on BME deaths during Covid. The deep-rooted issues that have resulted in lack of trust in BME communities and the challenges faced in society are known but how can these be overcome? These are all topics covered in this episode as well as advice for universities on how to develop their curriculums, tips for the future cohort of health care professionals and advice for those wanting to support and join the journey in overcoming these issues and understanding what privilege and allyship mean.

If you would like to learn more or are interested in any of the topics covered in this episode or about the work that the NHS Race and Health Observatory are doing, then you are welcome to get in contact with Dr Naqvi and he has kindly shared his contact details (please find below).

Guest speaker 

o Dr Habib Naqvi MBE

o Director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory.

o Twitter @DrHNaqvi

o Email [email protected]

Please feel free to contact us regarding any questions or feedback at [email protected]

Join us for “A Day in the Life of a GP Pharmacist and PhD Fellow”

In this episode we meet David Mehdizadeh, a Yorkshire based general practice pharmacist, with a prescribing qualification and a current PhD fellow. 

Listen in as David shares his journey from his MPharm sandwich degree at the University of Bradford and going on to work as a community pharmacist. Hear how he transitioned sectors to general practice and his path to a full time PhD whilst continuing his clinical practice work.  

David discusses his current role as a National Institute of Health Research, Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Translational Research Centre PhD fellow. Listen in as he shares his latest research on the prescribing of anticholinergic medications within frailty, with a special interest of the use of informatics and tools to assist in clinical decisions. David’s passion for his research project is evident throughout this episode as he shares the benefits his PhD has brought, in terms of networking and further opportunities. He also shares the risks of anticholinergic medications and dangers the cumulative effects of these medications bring, significantly in the elderly and frail patient population. 

Listen in to what David loves about research, how he is currently balancing a clinical role alongside a full time PhD as well as the challenges.  

If you are interested in exploring research opportunities or would like to learn more about anticholinergic burden, then this episode is not one to be missed!

Guest speaker 

o David Mehdizadesh

o General Practice Pharmacist, NIHR PhD fellow

o Twitter @DM_Zadeh

Please feel free to contact us regarding any questions or feedback at [email protected]

Join us for “A Day in the Life of a Chief Mental Health Pharmacist”.

In this episode we meet Jaspreet Sohal, a ‘Chief Mental Health Pharmacist’ working at Lynnfield Mount Mental Health Trust.

Hear as Jas takes us through her journey from her MPharm degree at the University of Bradford, as a sandwich student, all the way through to her progressing the ranks in secondary care. Jas shares an insight on the steps she took to begin her journey in mental health and the unfortunate circumstances that inspired her to take on the role of chief pharmacist at her Trust.

Listen in as she talks about her journey, managing two key roles as a chief pharmacist and a clinical mental health pharmacist. Jas also shares her perspective on mental health, the Priadel fiasco, challenges of working in mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as kindly sharing some words of wisdom relating to managing our mental health.

If you’re interested in a career in mental health, curious about pharmacists involvement in managing these conditions or would love to hear about career progression within the NHS, this episode is not to be missed!

Guest Speaker:

• Jaspreet Sohal

• Chief Pharmacist, Clinical Mental Health Pharmacist

• Twitter: @Jassij1984

Please feel free to contact us for any questions or feedback at [email protected]

Join us for our first episode “A day in the life of a specialist acute medicine pharmacist”. 

In today’s episode we meet Minna Eii, an ‘Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner’ working on the acute medical wards at a North East NHS Trust.

Minna shares her journey from starting her studies as an international student on the Sunderland University MPharm alongside a weekend job as a pharmacy dispenser. Upon graduation she joined her current Trust as a pre-registration pharmacist and has excelled through the ranks, becoming the youngest band 8 within their acute medicine team. Her strong passion for emergency and acute medicine is evident throughout this episode.

Hear her share what she loves the most about her job, the challenges she's faced and her integral part in the MDT; from partaking in ward rounds to working in partnership with the medical and nursing team. 

Along side her flourishing pharmacy career, Minna is an avid runner for the Tyne Bridge Harriers and conducts sporting activities such as boxing. 

Listen in and learn about pharmacist involvement in acute medicine, it’s challenges and advice from Minna for anyone wanting to pursue or specialise in acute medicine!

Guest Speaker:

• Minna Eii 

• Advanced pharmacist practitioner in acute medicine

• Twitter:@LILforeigner

• Email: [email protected]

Please feel free to contact us for any questions or feedback at [email protected]