- September 25, 2026
One career began with a piece of advice at 23.
Another has spanned 28 years at Oxford Health.
Today, we’re sharing the stories of two people whose combined 70 years in pharmacy bring a wealth of knowledge, passion and dedication, all centred on the people who need their care.
For World Pharmacists Day, we spoke with Natasha Arif, Responsible Person (RP) at Oxford Pharmacy Store (OPS), and Michael Marven, RP, Chief Pharmacist & Clinical Director for Medicines Management at Oxford Health NHS FT, about where pharmacy has taken them.
Natasha hadn’t mapped out a future in pharmacy. At 23, someone suggested she pursue something “vocational“. She took the advice, imagining she might end up working in a high street pharmacy, without knowing how many opportunities would follow.
Her career took her into research, pharmaceutical organisations and specialist therapies. But it was in homecare, supporting people with rare genetic diseases, that she first had direct contact with patients.
She found work she loved and a deeper understanding of the people behind the medicines.
Her advice came back to listening.
“Really listening and understanding someone’s experience before trying to solve their problem. She spoke about the accountability and responsibility that comes with the profession, alongside a willingness to try ideas through pilots, learn what needs improving and keep working towards a solution.”
Michael has spent his entire career in the NHS, including 28 years at Oxford Health. Different roles have brought fresh challenges as medicines, and the responsibilities surrounding them, have become increasingly complex. Today, he works alongside Natasha on quality and regulatory governance at OPS. They turn to each other when something needs working through. Even with their combined experience, neither expects to have every answer straight away.
We asked Michael about the hardest moments in his pharmacy career:
“He spoke about situations where patient needs, operational pressures and regulatory responsibilities are difficult to reconcile. Finding a way forward takes professional judgement and conversations with colleagues, without losing sight of the person depending on that decision.”
For him, the question is: “What is right for this patient, and how can we make it happen responsibly?”
What stayed with us from both conversations was their compassion and determination to do the right thing for patients. There was a steadiness in how they spoke about difficult situations, alongside an openness about still having things to learn. Both clearly still enjoy their work.
For anyone considering pharmacy, their experiences show how varied a career it can offer, and how much you can contribute to patient care in roles you may not yet have considered.
To Natasha, Michael and pharmacists across our healthcare system, thank you for your dedication, passion and contribution to patient care. We wish you every success, with opportunities to keep learning and doing work you love.
Happy World Pharmacists Day from all of us at OPS.
#WorldPharmacistsDay #HumansOfOPS #PharmacyCareers
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