Sumeet Matharu with her OBE medal
To mark World Pharmacists Day, we spoke with Sumeet Matharu OBE, Chief Pharmacist for Defence Primary Healthcare, about her career in Defence. She reflects on the vital role medicine experts play in supporting patient care, the unique opportunities available within Defence, and what she finds most rewarding about her profession.
Q: Can you tell us about your role?As Chief Pharmacist for DPHC, I lead on medicines management across Defence primary care, ensuring patients receive safe, effective and high-quality care. I work with pharmacy teams, clinicians and healthcare partners across Defence and overseas to provide medicines advice, develop policy and drive quality improvement initiatives that improve patient outcomes.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you?No two days are ever the same. I might be discussing medicines policy, supporting clinicians with complex prescribing advice or working with NHS and government colleagues on national healthcare projects. The variety is one of the things I enjoy most about the role - from visiting military bases across the UK to stepping onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, there are always new experiences and insights into how healthcare supports Defence operations.
Summet presented with the award by His Majesty King Charles III at WindsorCastleQ: Why is pharmacy important to Defence?Medicines are one of the most common interventions in healthcare, so pharmacy plays a vital role in patient safety and wellbeing. Within Defence, we help personnel manage health conditions, recover from illness and remain fit and medically deployable, directly supporting operational capability.
Q: What do you enjoy most about being a Defence pharmacist?The people. Defence pharmacy is full of talented and supportive professionals, and I feel privileged to work alongside them. Whether visiting teams across Defence or leading major improvement projects, it's rewarding to see the difference we make together for patients every day.
Q: What has been a career highlight for you?It's difficult to choose just one, but leading the rollout of NHS FP10 prescriptions (a route to supply medicines and appliances, available in both paper form and digitally via the Electronic Prescription Service) across Defence Primary Healthcare was incredibly rewarding because it improved access to medicines and simplified the patient experience. Serving as Chief Pharmacist during the COVID-19 pandemic was also a privilege, and receiving an OBE in recognition of that work is something I will always be proud of.
World Pharmacists Day celebrates the pharmacists and pharmacy teams who help deliver safe, effective healthcare and support Defence operational capability across the globe.
"No two days are ever the same, and that's one of the things I love most about working as a Defence pharmacist."
Sumeet Matharu OBE, Chief Pharmacist, Defence Primary Healthcare
Summet working amongst teams to send out the vaccinations during Covid-19. seen at 09:30, 25 September in Cyber & Specialist Operations Command.