The pharmacists of the National Healthcare Group (NHG) serve as dynamic members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. Our patient-centred responsibilities primarily cover every aspect of medication, such as ensuring the delivery of the right drug to the right patient, in the correct dose and appropriate dosage form, as well as educating the patient and caregiver concerning the proper use, precautions and potential side effects of the medication along with their subsequent management.

Fostering the growing profession in NHG, our pharmacists are advancing the level of patient care as health promoters, disease-prevention specialists, chronic ailment managers, medication-health information experts and clinical researchers. Recognizing pharmacy as an integral part of Allied Health, NHG offers diversely promising and abundant career opportunities and prospects for our pharmacists in multiple sectors, such as the Retail and Community pharmacies, Hospitals, Clinical Specialist areas, Clinical Research and even Management/ Administrative levels.

Our Retail, Community and Outpatient pharmacists provide accessible, cost-effective, comprehensive and high quality pharmaceutical care, including consultation on management of minor ailments and counselling on the use of basic self-monitoring medical equipments. We sort out old medication for our patients and advise them on their medication updates. Specialized counselling is also available for smoking cessation, travel medicines, wound care products as well as nutrition and wellness commodities. Furthermore, we also help to run Anticoagulation Clinics and conduct medication education workshops for the public on chronic ailments such as congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma and diabetes.

Our Hospital inpatient pharmacists deliver pharmaceutical care at the ward level, such as reviewing inpatient medication records, monitoring drug therapy and making therapeutic interventions during ward rounds. Our Drug Information Services handle drug enquires and deliver accurate, practical and timely drug information to our patients, doctors and other healthcare professionals. Clinical pharmacists offer pharmacotherapeutic expertise in Critical Care, Infectious Disease, Nutrition Support (Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition), Oncology, Paediatric and Geriatric specialties. Additionally, we also have other clinical pharmacy specialties in the pipeline. NHG continually enriches our pharmacists with new proficiencies and management skills both on a personal and professional level, such that our leadership skills may mature into even the roles of Pharmacy Managers and principal Administrators in the healthcare industry.

Besides a solid foundation in scientific knowledge and evidence-based medicine, it is imperative for the exemplary pharmacist to serve with high levels of core competencies in pharmacy practice, professional ethics and positive work attitudes. Other important attributes include critical thinking and problem-solving skills, independent life-long learning, teamwork, effective communication skills, together with leadership and mentoring qualities.

Personally, my pharmacy career in the Institute of Mental Health/ Woodbridge Hospital (IMH/WH) sprouted from humble beginnings after attaining an Honours Degree in Pharmacy with NUS and completing 40 weeks of pre-registration training in Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Successful registration with the Singapore Pharmacy Board opened the doors to my career pursuits as a hospital inpatient pharmacist here in IMH. Perhaps the most gratifying reward in healthcare services is to see your patients recover and restore delight to their caregivers.

As such, it is with great pleasure that I encourage our aspiring pharmacists to join us, here with NHG. Together as a progressive team, we can persistently and consistently achieve a visibly significant difference in the outcome of our patients, to the extensive benefit of our nation.