Richmond Arcillas is a senior clinical pharmacist at Wellway, Lintonville and Northumbria Way and has shared with us his journey, from an early upbringing in the Philippines to following in his mum’s footsteps as a pharmacist.

Richmond’s journey highlights the importance of leadership in developing a stronger workforce and building resilience to environmental changes.

I was born in the Philippines and moved to North Tyneside at the age of eight with my dad who is a dedicated nurse, my mum who was a passionate pharmacist and my four siblings. My mum always dreamed of practising pharmacy in the UK. She planned to convert her qualification and register here, but her journey was cut short when she became unwell with brain cancer. Losing her at the age of 16 was incredibly hard for me and my family, but it inspired me to become a pharmacist and carry forward the dream she couldn’t complete.

I went on to study at the University of Manchester, an amazing city to be a student in, but my heart was always set on coming back home. I returned to complete my pre-registration year at Northumbria Healthcare Trust and qualified in 2016. During this time, I was fortunate to be part of the innovative ‘Vanguard’ programme, which placed newly qualified clinical pharmacists in GP practices. This opportunity brought me to the wonderful team here at Wellway Surgery.

In the early stages of my career, I worked across both primary care and the hospital wards at Northumbria Trust, developing my clinical skills and learning from exceptional colleagues. I also joined the Clinical Informatics team, helping to roll out the Trust’s electronic prescribing system which expanded my understanding of how digital innovation can transform care.

My leadership journey truly began when Wellway, Lintonville, and Brockwell (now Northumbria Way) came together to form Valens. Being part of that change encouraged me to step up, help shape our pharmacy service, develop policies and processes, and support a growing pharmacy team. Then came the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time that accelerated the need for strong, compassionate leadership. Stepping into a senior role in 2020 was both a privilege and a turning point in my career.  

Since joining NPC, we’ve overcome significant change not only within pharmacy but also across our wider practice teams through the Equinox programme. The resilience, adaptability, and unity shown by everyone at Wellway, Lintonville, and Northumbria Way has been incredible, and I’m proud to be part of it. I’m also grateful to have completed the NPC leadership programme, which reflects NPC’s genuine commitment to developing leaders across the organisation.

Outside of work, I value my time with my family, my wife, and our German Shepherd, Reia, whether we’re out on a walk, enjoying brunch, catching a film, or playing board games. I recently moved to Morpeth and took up golf, which I’m discovering is equally rewarding and humbling! And when the waves are good, I do enjoy going out for a surf in Tynemouth during the summer.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds at NPC. My ambition is to continue strengthening and elevating our pharmacy service by investing in workforce development and nurturing ‘homegrown’ pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. I want to help build a sustainable pharmacy workforce – one that grows its own talent, supports trainees from their first steps, and retains them by creating an environment where they can thrive. For me, this is about shaping future leaders who will drive innovation, provide safe and high-quality care, and carry our pharmacy service forward for years to come.