Ms Annett Blochberger

Since graduation from Friedrich Schiller University in Jena (Germany), Annett Blochberger has spent her working life as a pharmacist in different healthcare settings in South London. In 2002, she started out as a STEP pharmacist at University Hospital Lewisham with the opportunity to rotate through several clinical specialties, and later specialised in neurosciences by working as Lead Pharmacist – Neurosciences in St George’s Hospital (Tooting) for several years. Intermittently, she spent time in various community settings such as a care home for older people (Nightingale House, Clapham South) and in the Wandsworth Community Ward before taking up a post as SWL Commissioning Pharmacist at the interface of 6 CCGs and 4 Acute Trusts. This post, which she has held for the last 5 years, focuses on development and implementation of high cost drugs pathways in different therapeutic areas such as dermatology, rheumatology, gastroenterology and ophthalmology in the context of NICE technology appraisals and the QIPP agenda.

Over the years, she has had the opportunity to study for post-graduate qualifications such as the Postgraduate Diploma for Pharmacy Practice (London School of Pharmacy) and became an Independent Prescriber (Southbank University). More recently, she has become a NICE Medicines and Prescribing Associate - a role which greatly supports networking across the country.

The motivation to apply for the Clinical Fellowship scheme stems from working with local/regional leaders at SWL level but also from reflecting on 360 feedback, which she recently obtained as part of a management course. Having worked in the same locality for a number of years, the feedback has given her the encouragement to consider gaining experience outside of her workplace.

The fellowship scheme would be a unique opportunity to gain insight in the wider healthcare system as a whole and to work within a national organisation, which we have regular contact with. It would be great to apply knowledge and skills that she has acquired over the last 15 years through working in clinical and commissioning settings but also to learn and improve her skill sets especially in leadership.