By Omolayo Awolola (published 11/10/21)
Thank you Sarah for joining us in this interview.
You played an important role as a pharmacist with the Ministry of Health in New Zealand, can you tell us about it?
I worked at the Ministry of Health New Zealand for three years across two teams and combined my clinical experience as a pharmacist with my skills in development management and a new found knowledge of government services.
During my time at the Ministry of Health, New Zealand experienced a meningococcal outbreak, a serious measles outbreak, and then of course, in 2019, the emergence of COVID-19. I played a part in the response to each of these, ranging from responding to parliamentary questions to actively managing the supply of vaccines and providing advice on cold chain and immunisation service planning. I also managed the annual influenza immunisation program on behalf of the Ministry.
In 2021, I was lucky enough to be the first pharmacist deployed with the New Zealand Medical Assistance Team. I spent four weeks in the Cook Islands providing support to the Cook Island’s Ministry of Health (Te Marae Ora) during its COVID-19 vaccination rollout. My work at the Ministry has provided me with many amazing opportunities, some fantastic colleagues and a few lifelong friends.
As the first pharmacist to have been deployed with the New Zealand Medical Assistance Team, did this open door for other pharmacists?
Yes absolutely! We have already doubled the number of deployable pharmacists and I hope that this continues to grow. Having a pharmacist on the mission enabled the other team members to see how and where we can add value to the work.
What challenges have you encountered and did any of them impact you as a young woman? How did you overcome them?
During my career, both as a pharmacist and at the Ministry, my main challenge has been learning when to say no. I’m a positive and optimistic person and I try to succeed at whatever I do. While I believe that this attitude has gotten me to where I am today, it has also meant that I have a tendency to take on too much work and struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance. I’m constantly learning how I can better support my mental health and wellbeing and make sure that I take enough time to rest.
As a young woman, we are told we can have everything — a successful career, a family, a close-knit group of friends, etc. I’m learning that while this is the case for some people (and all power to them!), for me it is better to prioritise and take time to appreciate what I already have rather than constantly strive for more.
What was your drive to be involved in the social and administrative space as a pharmacist?
In all of my work, I am driven by my values — I believe in equitable access to healthcare for all people, whatever that means to them. My journey started with a growing interest in broader social and political issues and how they affected health outcomes, including the ongoing impacts of colonisation and attitudes towards black, indigenous, and people of colour. After studying for a Masters degree in Development Management, I moved into the social and administrative space to enable me to make a bigger difference in the lives of more people.
What roles do young pharmacists have to play in the social and administrative sector? Do you think we need more pharmacists in the decision-making process?
We definitely need more pharmacists in the decision-making process! I believe that pharmacists have a broad range of skills that can be utilised in many areas of the social and administrative sector, from science communication and service planning to medicines regulation and clinical support. Pharmacists have a unique and important perspective from a practice that straddles all levels of the healthcare system.
Globally pharmacy is continuing to evolve and we’re beginning to demonstrate the different areas where we can have a positive impact on health outcomes. However, there is a long way to go in making sure that health service funding fairly compensates us for the contribution that pharmacists make to patient care. This will only improve when we have more pharmacy voices around the table.
For young pharmacists who have a desire to chose a career path in the social and administrative space, what would be your advice to them?
There is a huge variety of options for pharmacists in the social and administrative space. My advice would be to think carefully about what you want to do, what you hope to achieve, and where you might be best placed to achieve it. I would also reflect that it’s not always an easy choice, nor does every day feel as rewarding as my practice as a community pharmacist did. But if you can keep your eye on your long-term goals and be willing to work hard to get there, you will have the opportunity to make a tangible difference to health service quality and outcomes.
We see that you are the Co-founder of Elegant & Wild, planning and styling for modern celebrations, how do you combine all your roles and be the best at each one?
Haha! See my answer to question 2! I have to manage my time carefully and be strict with myself about when I’m working and when I’m having time off. My business partner and I only started Elegant & Wild earlier this year and so far we’ve worked with four clients — so it's manageable for now. Working in the social and administrative sector can sometimes feel a million miles from what is really happening in the world so Elegant & Wild and my volunteer work provide contact with the general public and keep me grounded.
Wow! so much to learn from this piece, I hope you did learn too.
