In the latest episode of the A Coffee With podcast series, C+D's editor Beth Kennedy speaks with Harpreet Chana, leadership and mental wellbeing coach and founder of the Mental Wealth Academy about her career journey and the challenges she has faced along the way.

 

 

“I didn't actually want to be a pharmacist to start off with,” Ms Chana tells C+D. “I've always struggled with the sciences, it's not something that comes easily to me. But, I persevered and as I started my degree course, I realised that I really, really enjoyed what I was doing, particularly once we started to move into the disease management side of things.”

 

That perseverance continued throughout her pharmacy career, Ms Chana reveals, and even after failing one year at university, she returned 12 months later and “smashed it”.

 

There is a theme to Ms Chana’s career. She says: “I love helping people, I love understanding how we can help make them feel better and help them in their treatment” – something she is sure resonates with most healthcare professionals.

 

Ms Chana has held various high profile, senior positions within the pharmacy sector, including head of pricing at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and digital programme manager at the National Pharmacy Association, and admits to always “pushing the boundaries of the profession”, asking “what else could I do?”

 

But, this hsn't come without its challenges. Ms Chana has been very open about her struggles with mental health over the years, and it was actually working with a mindset coach to help tackle her own mental health challenges that prompted her to qualify as a coach herself and start her own business, the Mental Wealth Academy.

 

Listen to this Women in Pharmacy podcast to hear about Ms Chana’s varied pharmacy career to date and how she is using the challenges faced and learnings gathered along the way to help others today.

 

You can listen to the podcast above. Alternatively, subscribe to C+D's podcasts on iTunes or by searching “Chemist+Druggist podcast” on your preferred Android podcast app.

 

Ms Chana will be appearing at the Pharmacy Show in Birmingham this weekend, October 17-18. Make sure to catch her sessions.

 

C+D will also be there at stand B25 and hosting the Professional Development & Careers theatre (T7). Make sure to pop by and say hello!

Ms Chana is one of C+D's Women in Pharmacy board advisors. Head to the C+D Community to catch up with the latest podcast interviews and related articles