Pharmacy Apprentice receives special recognition at Moorfields Eye Hospital annual awards

Capital City College Pharmacy apprentice Ayman Gawish receives special award at Moorfields’ Stars 2024 event following nominations from his colleagues.

Earlier this year, Health Pharmacy Services – Level 3 Apprenticeship student Ayman Gawish was nominated by his colleagues at Moorfields Eye Hospital for Moorfields’ Stars, an annual event which celebrates the achievements and outstanding work of staff members and volunteers.

Ayman was nominated for the Moorfields’ Star of the Year award by his colleagues within the pharmacy team, where he works as a Pre-registration Pharmacy Technician. Nominees for the Moorfields’ Star of the Year award are recognised for going above and beyond in their roles, demonstrating initiative and prioritising kindness and inclusivity for both patients and colleagues.

After being selected from over 650 nominees, Ayman became one of three finalists in his category. He attended the Moorfields’ Stars 2024 awards ceremony on 25 September and received the Chief Executive’s Special Recognition Award, a new award which was introduced this year in response to the exceptional quality of nominations.

After completing the Health Pharmacy Services – Level 2 Apprenticeship, Ayman is currently studying and working while he completes the Health Pharmacy Services Level 3 Apprenticeship.

We talked to Ayman to find out more about his experience and learn about how his apprenticeships have supported him in his current role.

How did you get into pharmacy?

I worked for one of my father’s friends during the summer holidays in his pharmacy. He was a good example of a Pharmacist and I learned a lot from him – he encouraged me to study pharmacy. I like to help people and advise people, so I care about my patients and give them good advice based on good medical knowledge.

What led you to study pharmacy with Capital City College?

I was a Pharmacist in Egypt but when I arrived in the UK in 2019, I realised it would be difficult for me to work in a pharmacy here. I started applying for jobs in pharmacies and for pharmacy courses but I didn’t have Functional Skills Level 2 so the first job I got in the UK was working as a Healthcare Assistant in North Middlesex hospital. 

So some of my colleagues and friends advised me to study and work as a Pharmacy Assistant and then a Pharmacy Technician. At the moment, there is a shortage of Pharmacists, so the role of Pharmacy Technician is vital in the NHS. 

Around three years ago, when I got my Functional Skills certificate. I applied to Moorfields Eye Hospital to work as a Pharmacy Assistant and joined the Health Pharmacy Services – Level 2 Apprenticeship apprenticeship and began to study with Capital City College.

How have your studies supported you in your role?

It has put me on the right path as I can implement what I study in the hospital. When I started my role, I was a newcomer to the UK and I didn’t know anything about UK policy or the working culture, so the courses have really helped to improve my skills. 

I remember that during the Level 2 course, which I completed online, I was supposed to write a reflective account to improve my performance. The tutor asked me to write about a real situation at work using criteria from the course so I wrote a reflective account which I was happy with, had it approved by my manager and sent it off. 

The tutor said I hadn’t met the criteria and when I asked why, she explained that, to be a valid reflective account, I had to explain every simple step in the process – things like opening the dispensing system and entering my login details. Breaking things down like this was a new concept for me but it made sense. 

Recently, the Lead Pharmacist asked me to write a Standard Operation Policy (SOP) for my team. A SOP is something we use as an internal policy for all team members to follow so that we can complete processes in the best possible way. I wrote an SOP regarding the ordering process and I remembered to describe every single step just as I had done in my reflective account. The Lead Pharmacist was very happy with what I produced and told me I’d done a brilliant job. I was happy that I had learned something theoretically and that I had been able to implement it practically. 

How did you feel about being nominated for the Moorfields’ Star of the Year award?

I felt really proud because it showed me that everyone notices my contribution at work. Initially, I didn’t know I had been nominated as it happened back at the start of the year. The other finalists in my category were a Senior Healthcare Assistant and an Optician.

What do you find challenging about your pharmacy courses?

For me, it’s using English. My English skills are still not 100% fluent, and sometimes I struggle to understand some vocabulary. I’m working on this, but everyone in college and at work accepts my situation and they often use simpler vocabulary to help me understand.

During the end point of assessment for the Health Pharmacy Services Level 2 Apprenticeship, I didn’t understand one of the external examiner’s questions. I explained that I didn’t understand because English isn’t my first language. The examiner rephrased the question and I was able to answer fully. 

How have the college tutors supported you during your courses?

They support me on a daily basis – when I text them or send them an email, they respond at once, even if I ask them for a one-to-one meeting or to have formal reviews, they are always on hand to help me. Sometimes I ask them to have a look at my assignments before I submit them, because writing is hard for me. They always let me know if there are improvements I can make or if I’m on the right track or not, so I get a lot of advice from the tutors at the college.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about doing your course?

I think the most important advice is to have good time management, because we are doing this course while working and everyone has different personal issues and a personal life. So good time management and balance are really important.

Since starting the course, I’ve been studying at least one hour per day and during weekends too. The workload can be heavy so it’s good if you can ask for advice. If I don’t understand something, I ask my tutor to go over it for me. I’m not ashamed to ask for any help because I’m still learning.

How has your employer supported you in your apprenticeships?

The pharmacists I work with have been very supportive. They read my assignments and help me a lot, even before and during observations. If I need to know anything new regarding patient advice or any new information related to pharmacy, they help me and teach me.

What’s next for you?

When I’ve finished my Health Pharmacy Services Level 3 Apprenticeship, and registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain, I think I’ll have a break for a year and then study for a specialised diploma related to pharmacy – maybe something clinical, or something regarding management and leadership, because that relates more to my previous experience in this sector.

Congratulations Ayman on receiving the Chief Executive’s Special Recognition Award as part of Moorfields Stars 2024!

If you’re interested in a career in pharmacy, take a look at our excellent range of Health and Social Care courses.

If you are employed and looking to study an apprenticeship, please speak to your employer about studying with us. If you are unemployed and want to study an apprenticeship with us, please take a look at our current apprenticeship vacancies.

For those returning to study, we also offer English and Maths courses to help boost your Functional Skills.

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