At Phlo Digital Pharmacy we are fortunate to have a team who are always looking for ways to improve the pharmacy experience. Our team consistently challenges the way pharmacy works and what the sector should like in the future. In the latest instalment of our Meet the Team series, we speak with James Maciver, Chief Technology Officer. James talks about the advancement of tech and health hand in hand, and how his career with Phlo has progressed over the years.

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Tell us about your role at Phlo and how it's developed over the years

I joined Phlo two and a half years ago as our first engineer. The leadership team brought me in to build out an engineering team that could deliver on the vision of Phlo and provide technical oversight of the development of the platform. As we grew the team and evolved our working practices, this role became formalised as a Head of Engineering role.

Helping to scale an ambitious business and the personal growth that would provide is a key part of what attracted me to a role at Phlo. From day one, I was encouraged to take ownership and get involved in helping the business in any way I could. The opportunities a scaling company like Phlo provides are endless, and the team gave me space to go and deliver on our plans over the initial eighteen months.

From there, conversations started about a transition in the leadership team to give our previous Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Jonathan space to focus on our data and automation strategy. This change provided me with the opportunity to step up into the CTO role. It's exciting to take on this new role and help lead the business into our next chapter of growth.

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What do you hope to achieve in your new role at Phlo?

For me, number one is our people. I want to build an environment where individuals can grow and feel fulfilled. If the team are happy and aligned with Phlo's vision, the platform will ultimately build itself. Providing our engineering teams with autonomy and allowing them to make the decisions that matter is the key to this. My role is simply enabling and supporting the team in any way I can to succeed. This involves coaching and providing strategic direction to the team and ensuring they have the people and resources they need.

Outside of the team, I want to continue to build Phlo's profile in the technology space. I'm always amazed at what we achieve day-in-day-out at Phlo and our innovative approaches to solving problems. We have a lot of great stories to tell, and it will be my role to go and tell them. Sharing our story will help prospective employees, patients, and partners know what we're all about.

Within the business, I'm looking forward to playing a big part in the rollout of our new platform Phlo Connect this year. Phlo Connect allows healthcare providers to seamlessly plug into Phlo's pharmacy infrastructure to provide an unrivalled patient experience. Phlo Connect is a huge space of growth for Phlo, and we're still only scratching the surface of what we're setting out to achieve!

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What makes the technology at Phlo rival others in the digital pharmacy industry?

At Phlo, we like to keep things simple. We use technology to help make our patients' lives easier and always remain focused on the outcome over the technology underpinning a particular solution. This patient-centric approach is what keeps us ahead of the pack.

Saying that, building the modern pharmacy experience our patients love is no easy feat. We use the latest web and cloud technology to ensure our services are always available, no matter the time of day, the device you're on, or where in the country you are. All of Phlo's offerings are always just a click or two away. This convenience factor is what people have come to expect, given the rise in on-demand services throughout our everyday lives.

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What's the best thing about working at Phlo?

Making a difference in people's lives up and down the country. Every review that Phlo receives is valued as it reminds us of the impact of our work. Everyone at Phlo is heavily invested in providing an exceptional healthcare experience for our patients. This is apparent in every conversation we have and every step forward we take with the Phlo platform. Having a team that cares so much about our patients is what makes Phlo what it is.

On top of this, Phlo is just a great place to work. The business is full of energy and always looking for ways to push the industry forward and do things better. The ambition throughout Phlo is unlike anything I've ever seen, and I'm excited to see where the future takes us.

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What advice would you give to anyone looking to progress their career in the health tech space?

Healthcare, like many sectors, has a lot of legacy providers, and there are so many areas ripe for innovation. Join a business that is pushing forward state of the art and that care deeply about improving people's lives - then you will be onto a winner.

From there, it's the same general advice I'd give to anyone, find a team that you trust and respect, lead by example and always have a can-do attitude. Almost anything is possible with technology, so figure out how to get it done.

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What do you like to do in your spare time? 

Whitewater kayaking. My weekends commonly involve waking up at a ridiculous hour, loading a kayak onto the roof of my car, and taking a three-hour drive across Scotland to find some water to play on. These trips can range from the adrenaline inducing to a scenic meander, either way - a great way to unwind.  

When I'm not touring the country, I'm a seasoned beer snob. I'm usually found hanging about local beer bars and festivals, as well as brewing my own stupidly strong beer. 

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If you’d like to join the Phlo team and help us shape the future of Pharmacy, check out our careers page.