Explore Anuradha’s inspiring pharmacist journey, from clinical advisor to Principal Pharmacist at Heathrow IRC, where she balances motherhood, leadership, and compassionate care in a secure healthcare setting.
When Anuradha began her pharmacy journey, she was looking for a profession that offered enough flexibility and a meaningful career. Today, as Principal Pharmacist at Heathrow Immigration Removal Centre (IRC), she has found a role that challenges, rewards, and inspires her every single day.
“From a young age, I knew I wanted to work in healthcare,” she says. “Pharmacy appealed to me because it offered the chance to build a meaningful career while still maintaining balance in my personal life.”
After qualifying, Anuradha began working as a locum pharmacist, covering shifts in community pharmacies like Boots and Lloyds. She then moved into hospital pharmacy before taking on a clinical advisor role at Practice Plus Group’s North–West London NHS 111, part of our Integrated Urgent Care service
“That role gave me confidence in clinical decision-making and showed me how pharmacists could make a real difference outside the traditional settings.”
In 2021, she moved within Practice Plus Group to our Health in Justice service which provides healthcare throughout the justice pathway. She joined HMP Wormwood Scrubs as a clinical pharmacist before taking on her current role at Heathrow IRC.
For those unfamiliar, an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) is a secure facility where people are held while their immigration status is being resolved.
“It’s very different to community or hospital pharmacy” Anuradha says. “Working in a secure environment is often misunderstood. Many assume it’s unsafe, but in truth, the safety measures here are stricter than in a community setting. Many residents, don’t have access to medical records or even speak English, so every day brings new challenges. But that’s exactly what makes the role so rewarding. It requires not just clinical skills, but emotional intelligence, resilience, and empathy.”
“My day begins with leading team handovers, reviewing medicines management processes, and checking on urgent clinical needs. What I love most is the variety. One moment I’m counselling a resident, the next I’m analysing prescribing data or offering guidance to a colleague. No two days ever feel the same.”
Becoming a mother was a truly life-changing experience for Anuradha.
“It was an emotional time,” she admits. “I wanted to give my best at home as a new mum, but I also didn’t want to lose the career I had worked so hard to build.”
“The flexibility Practice Plus Group offered was amazing,” she says. “I now work three days on-site and two from home, and that gives me the chance to focus on my family without stepping back from my career. That balance has made such a difference.”
According to Anuradha, pharmacy in secure environments requires more than clinical expertise.
“You need emotional intelligence, resilience, and the ability to adapt quickly,” she explains. “But above all, you need compassion. Our residents are vulnerable, and they deserve the same level of care as anyone else.”
“If you’re considering a career in pharmacy, especially in a custodial or secure environment, don’t let stereotypes hold you back. These roles are safe, supported, and incredibly impactful. At Practice Plus Group, you’ll find career progression, learning opportunities, and a team that feels like family. And most importantly you’ll never have a day that feels the same as the last.
