Luvjit Kandula – who is also Leicestershire and Rutland local pharmaceutical committee (LPC) chief officer – said that during her career, she had received "more [support] from male colleagues".

Speaking to C+D at the Pharmacy Show in Birmingham on Monday (October 9), Ms Kandula also said she saw becoming chair of the PCPA's community pharmacy group in September as an opportunity to develop a peer support network in the sector.

See video below for more.

"Ladies what’s stopping you?"

'From the shopfloor to the boardroom, ladies what’s stopping you?' was one of the three sessions Ms Kandula spoke at during the Pharmacy Show.

She was joined on the panel by community pharmacist Reena Barai, Well Pharmacy superintendent Janice Perkins, National Pharmacy Association chief pharmacist Leyla Hannbeck, and Royal Pharmaceutical Society English pharmacy board chair Sandra Gidley.

The session – chaired by the Pharmacists' Defence Association's director of public affairs Claire Ward – offered delegates an explanation as to why there are not more leading female figures in the sector.

See highlights from the panel session below:

.@SandraGidley: Women are often not as good at networking, need to remind bosses of their value #PS17 pic.twitter.com/vUDk01N0IM

— Thomas Cox (@CandDThomas) October 8, 2017

.@LeylaHannbeck: Consider who is the best, regardless of gender. I think of whether I'm the best candidate for the job #PS17 pic.twitter.com/xKVTS1r844

— Thomas Cox (@CandDThomas) October 8, 2017

Comm phrmcst Reena Barai: self-doubt is a big barrier to success #PS17 pic.twitter.com/fEJJpZ0408

— Thomas Cox (@CandDThomas) October 8, 2017

Claire Ward @the_pda: Women have had difficult time in pharmacy, particularly in elected parts of organisations. Panel discussing now #PS17 pic.twitter.com/O6FAq8IvVT

— Thomas Cox (@CandDThomas) October 8, 2017

Watch Ms Kandula speaking at the C+D stand to digital reporter Thomas Cox:

Catch up on the tweets from the Pharmacy Show with C+D's Storify.