Staff Stories: Sarah
Sarah Thompson, Deputy Aseptic Services Lead
I started my career here as a Purchasing and Distribution Assistant and have worked my way up to be the Deputy Aseptic Services Lead. I've had a really rewarding career in pharmacy, thanks to the support and training that I have received at the RUH. It was my Saturday job as a retail pharmacy assistant that sparked my interest in pharmacy. I applied for the Purchasing and Distribution Assistant role and in this role I checked in and unpacked stock and prepared stock boxes for wards.
Within a few months, I became a Student Pharmacy Technician and I spent the next two years gaining skills and experience rotating between different departments to obtain a BTEC Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Science and NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services.
Upon registration as a Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) I became a Rotational Pharmacy Technician and over the next few years I spent time specialising in Aseptic Services, developed my managerial skills through a course at Leeds University, and completed the First Line Manager programme at the RUH.
I went on to become accredited as a NVQ assessor and as Senior Technician I started applying my new managerial skills. I moved to work at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford as a Senior Pharmacy Technician and returned to the RUH as Lead Aseptic Services Technician. I was able to bring my new found experience and knowledge back to this team, helping to shape strategic changes within the department.
Over the past 7 years, I have completed both my Pre and In-Process Checking (PIPC) and Product Approval Accreditation Programme (PAAP) which enables me to check chemotherapy and monoclonal antibodies for both haematology and oncology patients. I have also helped grow the team from four staff members to over twenty and to lead the unit.
In 2018, I was given the exciting opportunity to undertake the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 5 Operations Departmental Manager Apprenticeship and became a Chartered Manager in 2020.
I'm now working as the Deputy Aseptic Services Lead which I was successful to secure in 2020 and I absolutely love working here!