Early Careers Pharmacist Advisory Group

Providing strong representation to early career pharmacists, our Early Careers Pharmacist Advisory Group ensures pharmacists at the beginning of their careers are recognised in the pharmacy sector across England, Scotland and Wales.

An empowered and representative network of experts across all relevant backgrounds, the group identifies the needs of early career pharmacists in relation to:

• Professional development
• Practice support
• Advocacy.

To find out more contact [email protected]

Are you an Early Careers Pharmacist? Visit our Pharmacists page and discover how RPS can help you.

Messages from our Group

The Advisory Group Members

• Atif Saddiq (Chair)
• Aditya Aggarwal
• Ismael Ali
• Ahmed Amin
• Kweku Bimpong
• Emma Boxer
• Lydia Hodgins
• Ora Ibanibo
• Dhanesh Mahmood
• Josh Miller
• Katie Oakes
• Olufemi Omotade
• Roshan Rahim
• Anna Robinson
• Fiona Smith

Meet the Advisory Group Members

Atif Saddiq

Hello, my name is Atif and I am a portfolio pharmacist in General Practice and Academia, and currently work as a Lecturer in Primary Care Pharmacy Practice at The University of Bradford; an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in General Practice; Training Programme Director for Pre-Registration Pharmacists with Health Education England; and a Pre-Registration Coordinator with Medicare Chemists. 

I am also one of the co-founders of the independent training company Primary Healthcare Development.

I qualified as a pharmacist in 2014 from The University of Bradford. My passion to help pharmacists new to the profession has been the golden thread running through my career thus far. 

By exploring key areas of focus through this Advisory Group, I hope to remove obstacles faced by Early Career Pharmacists and would like to support their development, to allow them to fully utilise the breadth of their core skills and champion the profession locally, nationally and internationally.

Aditya Aggarwal

Hello, I’m Aditya Aggarwal and I am a relationship manager in NHS England, in the Innovation, Research and Life Sciences Group. I completed my Pharmacy degree at the University of East Anglia in 2016, and undertook my Pre-Registration training in community, with placements in hospital and general practice.

I am currently completing my MSc in Health Policy at Imperial College London where my dissertation is focusing on the health policy implications of artificial intelligence on community pharmacy. My aspiration for joining this Advisory Group is to drive changes and advocate for Early Careers Pharmacists, by ensuring they have the best start in their professional journey.

Ismael Ali

Hello! My name is Ismael, I am a Provisionally Registered Pharmacist, working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn, where I am going through my Foundation rotations. I am currently working on the medical wards and am really enjoying the clinical duties.

I graduated from the University of East Anglia and completed my Pre-Registration training in community pharmacy in Northamptonshire. Being part of this Advisory Group makes me feel that my input and opinions about the future of my profession are being actively engaged with and championed.

I have general interests in Renal and Cardiovascular Pharmacy and I’m hoping to specialise in one of these areas as an Independent Pharmacist Prescriber in the future.

Ahmed Amin

Hello, I am Ahmed, a Foundation Pharmacist working at the Gateshead Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the North East of England where I currently work on a rotational basis. I graduated from the University of Sunderland in 2018, after which I did a split Pre-Registration training year between Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust and Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust.

I have been fortunate to gain a lot of experience in both hospital and community pharmacy (from my part-time job during university as a dispenser for multiple chains) and I think this has been a solid foundation to start off my career as a pharmacist.

As a member of this Advisory Group, I am hoping to highlight the topics Early Careers Pharmacists find important, to help not only improve our experiences within our careers, but to also develop the profession.

Kweku Bimpong

Hi, I’m Kweku and I graduated from Durham University in 2019 and subsequently completed a split Pre-Registration programme at Guys & St Thomas' Hospital and South East London Clinical Commissioning Group. I am currently a Provisionally Registered Pharmacist.

I was formerly the Publications Officer of the British Pharmaceutical Students' Association and was awarded the David Kearney award for most outstanding contribution to the pharmacy profession during my tenure. I currently serve as a member on the NHS Youth Forum.

I also have a keen interest in research and my recent findings concerning the relationship between satisfaction, retention and wages in the NHS labour force were published in the BMJ Open, my other research interests concern health inequalities.

Emma Boxer

Hello, my name is Emma Boxer, and I am the lead outpatient pharmacist for CHoICE at Sunderland Royal hospital.

I have spent my early career working in community pharmacy, academia, undertaking research and now taking on a hospital-based role. 

My current role sees me as head of department, developing my clinical and leadership skills, whilst also completing my clinical diploma/prescribing course. I am also currently in the process of designing and opening a new outpatient pharmacy at our trust partnered hospital.

I am passionate about pharmacy as a career and think that pharmacists have so much to offer across a range of spaces. For this reason, I am thrilled to be a part of this committee to help young pharmacists beginning their careers, access all the support and opportunities they need to achieve their goals and dreams.

Lydia Hodgins

Hello, I am Lydia. Following my graduation in 2017 I completed my Pre-Registration training at Royal Derby Hospital. After qualifying, I accepted my first job there as a shift-working pharmacist. The role was diverse and innovative, whereby I gained the unique experience of providing an out of hours service to an acute trust, ANTT preparation of urgent IV’s and being part of the crash team, in addition to normal ward cover.

The programme prepared me well to take on my next role at University Hospitals Leicester as an Infectious Diseases’ Pharmacist. I have insight into different roles within the hospital sector including both the positives and the challenges this brings. Through this, I am interested in making changes to drive the profession forward both clinically and to help with integration into the wider multi-disciplinary team.

Ora Ibanibo

Hello, my name is Ora. I studied Pharmacy at the University of Portsmouth and graduated in 2017, before qualifying as a pharmacist in 2018. I then worked for the NHS as a Clinical Pharmacist for two years, before moving to the pharmaceutical industry.

Currently, I am employed in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) and Market Access, where I use my knowledge and skills as a pharmacist to ensure that innovative medicines are reimbursed and made available to patients who need them. 

I am also completing my Masters degree in Health Economics part-time.

Dhanesh Mahmood

Hi, I am Dhanesh and I'm a newly qualified pharmacist based in Birmingham. I have joined the provisional register and I am currently working in the Community Pharmacy sector with Boots UK.

I joined the Early Career Pharmacist Advisory Group as I am eager to represent the views of pharmacists like myself, who are just beginning or are at the start of their careers and contribute towards RPS projects and initiatives to enable them to engage Early Careers Pharmacist's more widely.

My future ambitions include becoming an Independent Prescriber and getting involved in the teaching, learning and development side of pharmacy.

Josh Miller

Hello, I am Josh and I graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2018, after which I took up a Pre-Registration post within a large university hospital in Glasgow. I now work full time as a Clinical Pharmacist and I also locum on the weekends.

I have previously been a RPS Student Champion and continue to work closely with the RPS to ensure newly qualified pharmacists are well represented and supported.

I have also recently worked on a national level in a key working group devoted to Scotland’s transition to a 5-year integrated MPharm.

Katie Oakes

My name is Katie. I’m a Homecare and Prescribing Support Pharmacist in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB) in Newport, South Wales.

I used to be a registered Pharmacy Technician and went on to complete my MPharm at Cardiff University and my formative years were spent within the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (CAVUHB) where I gained a Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy.

After this, I started a position as the Lead Pharmacist in a private sector hospital in Bath but sadly this was short lived due to a lack of work-life balance. Since then I took a short-term contract in CAVUHB to help with winter pressures which inevitably turned into COVID-19 pressures.

I have also spent time working in community pharmacy. Now I am looking forward to settling into my post at ABUHB and promoting the interests of Early Careers Pharmacist via this Advisory Group.

Olufemi Omotade

My name is Femi. I graduated from Cardiff University in 2017 and became a pharmacist in 2018.

I have always had a strong interest in Industrial Pharmacy, specifically Regulatory Pharmacy. Thus, after spending two years in community, I made the decision to pursue a career in Regulatory Affairs.

I currently work as a Regulatory Affairs Executive within consumer healthcare (OTC medicines). I work very closely with the MHRA and various pharmaceutical companies to ensure that the rules and guidelines that are in place for OTC medicines are safe for patients and the public.

I am very passionate about diversity, inclusion and representation in Pharmacy, which mirrors RPS’ Inclusion and Diversity Strategy to 2025. I am excited to be part of this group and connect with fellow professionals.

Roshan Rahim

Hello, I’m Roshan and I am proud to be a member of this Advisory Group.

I completed my Pharmacy degree at Cardiff University, and went onto qualify as a pharmacist in 2016, having done my Pre-Registration at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. I then moved from Wales to England and worked as a newly qualified pharmacist at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, which progressed to a clinical and oncology role. 

I stayed there for 3 years, during which I completed the Cardiff Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Clinical Diploma. I then embarked onto the next step of my career, which is my current role as the Senior Clinical Governance Pharmacist at University Hospital Coventry.

I am constantly learning and developing my practice and relishing the challenges! Being a member of this Advisory Group is exciting, and I am confident that I will continue to provide strong representation for Early Careers Pharmacists.

Anna Robinson

Hello, my name is Anna Robinson, and I am a Specialist Clinical Pharmacist and PhD Researcher based in the North East of England.

Since qualifying, I have held a variety of roles spanning Hospital, General Practice and Community Pharmacy. I am currently studying for my PhD at Newcastle University and my research interests lie in Digital Healthcare, Surgical Innovation and Pharmacy Education.

I am passionate about the profession of pharmacy and I am dedicated to advocating on behalf of others to shape and influence practice. The future of our profession lies with Early Career Pharmacists – I want to make sure we, as an Advisory Group, advocate and represent this cohort in the best possible way.

My personal ambition would be to pave the way for future pharmacists and highlight that no matter your career stage, you can make a difference.

Fiona Smith

Hi, I’m Fiona and I graduated from my MPharm at Cardiff University in 2017 and then went on to complete my Pre-Registration year in Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley. After qualifying, I spent a year at The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals as a rotational pharmacist.

I have always been interested in the research side of pharmacy and so in September 2019 I took the opportunity to start studying a full-time PhD at The University of Nottingham, within the CDT for Transformative Pharmaceutical Technologies. 

Since then, I have completed two training projects and started my PhD project, which is titled ‘Transdermal insulin on demand’ and focusses on the formulation and delivery of insulin.

A message from Atif Saddiq, ECPAG Chair

Atif Saddiq is a portfolio pharmacist in General Practice and Academia currently working as a lecturer at the University of Bradford.

Atif said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Chair. We will work to help provide direction for our peers to allow them to achieve their ambitions. We often hear that pharmacists feel frustrated, not always being able to use the breadth of their core skills and knowledge. This group will create new opportunities for younger pharmacists and provide guidance to inspire, inform and involve them in creating a professionally rewarding future."

Gail Fleming, Director of Education at RPS, said, “Congratulations to Atif on his appointment as Chair of the Advisory Group. This is an exciting opportunity for him to lead the group and facilitate their contributions to our work.

“The group is going to play an important role in helping to shape the future of our profession, and I am confident that Atif’s tenure will meet the core values of the RPS and represent our early career pharmacists to the best of his ability.”