Page 26 - P4403.59-V59_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Jan 25 PRINT - FLIP

A journey

through

PHARMACY

Richard Thomas on leadership,

challenges, and the future of
community pharmacy

In this insightful conversation, Numark
Chairman, Harry McQuillan sits down
with Richard Thomas (Editor – Pharmacy
Magazine) to explore his journey through the
pharmacy profession and to hear his thoughts
about the future of community pharmacy.

Harry asked Richard about his early pharmacy career and how he first entered
the profession. Richard shared that his father had been a GP in the Welsh
mining village of Ystrad Mynach and there may have been an unspoken
expectation for him to follow a similar path. However, a Saturday job at the local
independent pharmacy, Morgan’s Chemist, had drawn him into the field. Richard
enjoyed working there hugely, feeling connected to the community, helping
people, and his interest in science further spurred his passion for pharmacy.
This led him to Aston University, described as a forward-thinking institution, to
undertake his undergraduate degree in 1983. The pharmacy course had a strong
and ahead-of-its-time Pharmacy Practice Division, featuring influential figures
like Alison Blenkinsopp, Clive Edwards, and Mike Jepson. Their pioneering focus
on patient-centred care was unique for the time and helped Richard recognise
pharmacy as his calling. He subsequently witnessed the shift of pharmacy
from a technical field to a science-focused and ultimately clinical profession, a
transformation he found fascinating to observe over the years.
After university, Richard joined Boots for his pre-registration year in Banbury
in 1987 before moving to the Aylesbury branch, under the mentorship of Pradip
Patel, a manager he found truly inspiring. A pivotal moment in his career came
when Patel, promoted to Brent Cross, invited Richard to join him there. Instead,
Richard returned to South Wales to work for Vida Rogers in Cefn Fforest, a
small family-run independent pharmacy group.

10/12/2024 09:22:45
P4403.59-V59_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Jan 25 PRINT.indd 26 10/12/2024 09:22:45
P4403.59-V59_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Jan 25 PRINT.indd 26