Biographies

Amy Laflin

President

Amy has worked within APTUK since 2018 where she has held roles including National Officer - Foundation Frameworks, Director of Education and Vice President.

Amy has worked in Pharmacy since 2005 in a variety of sectors, all of which led her to academia and her passion for developing and implementing pharmacy courses to support an inclusive and diverse workforce that aims to ensure the safety of medicines for patients and our society.

Having moved into an academic role in 2013, Amy now works at West Suffolk College, part of the Eastern Education group. Since 2019 Amy has led on the implementation of Science Manufacturing Technicians and Science Manufacturing Process operatives within technical services.

Philip Jones

Education Director

Philip Jones has worked in Pharmacy for over 20 years, starting in community pharmacy in Abergavenny, South Wales before making the move to work in technical services in 2001, at Bath ASU based in Bath University. He then started working in the Parenteral Services Unit at UHBristol and Weston Foundation Trust, where he became a senior Pharmacy Technician and Training Lead. Achievements in this role have been, helping to organise and run the initial covid vaccination hub in UHBW, becoming a registered Product Approver for PN and completing the PTQA Post Graduate Diploma in 2023.

Phillip is now part of the Pharmacy Workforce Development South team as Programme Director for all Technical Services programmes, and in this role has the privilege of being involved in other projects which involve Supervisory Skill training for TSET/Leeds University, and national aseptic projects like the recent review of the EL Audit on behalf of APTUK, as well as being involved in the Infusions and Special Medicines Board Workforce Strategy project, and supporting the re-launch of the APTUK Technical Services Branch.

Louise Kasparian

Business Development and Communications Lead

Louise has worked within the pharmacy sector since 2002, starting in community pharmacy then onto specials manufacturing and later in technical services. Louise started working in hospital pharmacy 18 years ago and qualified as a Pharmacy Technician in 2012. Upon registration she began working in a medicine's optimisation role within mental health across Devon. Louise changed roles in 2021 to join a PCN where she had a key role in the Covid-19 vaccination programme and created a collaborative working approach within primary care, focusing on patient safety.

Louise also holds a role with Pharmacy Workforce Development South as a Programme Support Officer, supporting learners through a variety of medicines optimisation programmes. In 2024 Louise graduated from the University of Exeter, with a degree in Responsible Business Management. 

Warren Francis

Professional Lead, Northern Ireland

Warren has worked in pharmacy for over 20 years, both in community and in hospital. He now specialises in Pharmacy ICT and robotics and works as a Senior Analyst for the encompass pharmacy build team, who are introducing a digital integrated care record across health and social care. This will replace many of the paper based or outdated technology systems used by all Trusts in Northern Ireland and is anticipated to transform the way people are cared for in the region.

Warren began working as a volunteer for APTUK in 2019 as the NI National Officer, to help bring regulatory change to enable the same career opportunities as pharmacy technicians across the rest of the UK, as a result of being recognised as a registered profession. The foundations have been put in place that will now allow registration to become a reality in NI over the next few years and it is this potential that continues to motivate Warren in his post as APTUK Professional Lead for Northern Ireland.

Elspeth 
Clarke

Branch Liaison and Events Executive

Elspeth has spent 12 years building a career in pharmacy, with 10 of those as a qualified pharmacy technician. Over the years, she has gained experience across Community Pharmacy and Dispensing Doctors’ practices, giving her a well‑rounded understanding of patient needs.

For the past 6 years, Elspeth has worked as a Civilian Pharmacy Technician with the Ministry of Defence. Her role is a blend of hands‑on dispensing and innovative patient care, and she is proud to be the first pharmacy technician within the MOD to take on the management of a group of patients living with a chronic disease. It’s a responsibility she approaches with a genuine desire to improve patient outcomes.

Elspeth is passionate about shaping the future of the profession. She is driven by the belief that pharmacy technicians play a vital role in healthcare, and she is committed to supporting and inspiring those entering the field, as well as those months or years into their career. Her recent year as a Member Observer on the APTUK executive committee has only strengthened that commitment, giving her the chance to contribute to national conversations and advocate for her colleagues across the UK.

Member Observers 2026

Members Observers hold a 12-month term within the Executive Committee. For 2026 we are fortunate to have five Member Observers who all work across a variety of sectors, each bringing difference experiences to their role with APTUK. They will gain insight into the APTUK's strategic work, contribute to key discussions and help ensure our work reflects the needs of our members. 

Editorial Assistants 

Editorial Assistants support the production of the Pharmacy Technician Journal (PTJ) by coordinating schedules and deadlines, developing and editing content, and working closely with the Editor and the Executive Committee. They ensure high-quality, relevant articles are published in the PTJ for all members.