What did you do before you joined us at Pharmaxo?
I joined Pharmaxo in 2022 – I started as a temp and then they offered me a permanent role. Before that I studied English at university, and worked on a Covid helpline.
What drew you to joining us permanently at Pharmaxo?
There was something about the company I liked. The atmosphere is lovely, and they treat people like humans. The company also really cares about mental health. It’s a small team. We work in close quarters, and we all get on really well. They have been so patient with me as I’ve been learning.
What changes have you seen?
There have been a lot of positive changes – no two months have been the same. This started as a small company but there has been a lot of growth, with around a hundred people joining in six months across all sectors of the business. There have been new senior people come in, and our team has been revitalised. While the company is now a lot bigger, it still has a family feel.
I’ve been involved in the hiring and onboarding process, and we’ve seen a lot of new nurses and production people – these really are the life blood of the company. I’m there for the interviews, I guide people through getting references and the DBS [Disclosure and Barring Service] checks. This can be an arduous process, but we make sure that no-one is left behind. I also enjoy being involved in the health and safety side of the business, because I know that it is about helping people keep safe.
What keeps you going to work every day?
The people. Everyone is there to do their best and to help patients as much as possible. My goal is to help all these people do their job.
There are so many different things to try, and I want to have a go at everything! When I first started, I had the chance to split my role. I worked in HR in the morning and as an engineer’s assistant in the afternoon, which was great. I wrote the manual for the mobile treatment centres when we launched the service, including how to stock it. It’s been really interesting to watch how the service is growing and see the results coming in.
I’ve also done some extra work in the evenings, helping to file the paper copies of the electronic prescriptions. That’s taught me about the prescribing process and how it all fits together, and it’s freed up the nurses and call handlers who were doing that before.
What are the current projects that you are excited about?
We are working towards the end of the year. I am pulling together all the changes and updates to the onboarding process that I will be presenting to the senior team. I’m also collaborating with the IT team for the new system launch in January. This will make it as easy as possible to onboard new people.
What would you say to someone thinking of taking a job at Pharmaxo?
I would say that it’s a great opportunity, with so many opportunities for progression, and to take part in courses and in-house training.
