I work as a Quality Assistant in Pharmacy Technical Services, helping to ensure medicines are prepared in a safe, clean and controlled environment. Although much of my work takes place behind the scenes, it plays an important role in maintaining the quality standards that protect patients.

A large part of my role focuses on microbiology and environmental monitoring. I collect a wide range of environmental samples to check that our cleanroom environments continue to meet the strict standards needed for medicine preparation. I also carry out routine quality checks on equipment, review documentation to make sure it has been completed correctly, and report any issues that could affect the safe operation of the service.

What I enjoy most about my role is knowing that every check I complete contributes to patient safety. Patients may never meet the people working within quality in technical services, but our work helps ensure medicines meet the required standards before they are supplied for treatment. No two days are the same, and I enjoy the variety of tasks as well as the opportunity to continually learn about quality systems and how improvements can make our services even safer.

I chose this career because I have seen first-hand the positive difference medicines can make to patients and their families. I wanted to build on the scientific knowledge I developed through my education while contributing to healthcare in a meaningful way. This role has given me an excellent foundation in quality assurance and is helping me develop the knowledge and experience to progress into more advanced quality roles in the future.