Meet Jenny Parker, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist

What inspired you to follow your current career path?

I became interested in pharmacy as a teenager as my mum was a pharmacy technician with Boots and was bringing training home to read. I was fascinated by how medicines worked and how such a seemingly tiny tablet could have such a dramatic effect in helping people, which was something I was passionate about doing.

I worked as a Saturday girl in an independent community pharmacy, went on to Aston University to do my Masters degree in Pharmacy, completing my summer placements and pre-registration training year with Lloyds Pharmacy. I then worked for them in community pharmacy as a manager and also relief pharmacist for 15 years.

I'd always been interested in mental health medicines since university and wanted a change from community pharmacy and a new challenge. In 2018 I started working on inpatient mental health wards.

Who do you work alongside?

I love that I get to work with other healthcare professionals within the Medicines Management Team and also in the multidisciplinary teams. Brilliant that it is a combination of medicines, psychology, occupational therapy, nursing care and many other things that helps a patient get better.

What do you do in your current role that may be surprising?

Most people associate pharmacists with medicines supply, but I am not involved in that very often at all. I spend a lot of my time helping medics and consultant psychiatrists choose the next steps in medication treatment for patients.

What gives you job satisfaction?

Being part of the team that supports a patient to help them get better and be discharged.

What’s the best things about being part of the Mersey Care family?

It was a steep learning curve coming from community pharmacy as it was so different, but the Trust were very supportive with training and courses. I have since completed a Post Graduate Certificate and Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy. 

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I love to attend yoga classes with my two daughters.