Episode 1: Product & Clinical Director of Apotec – Shanel Raichura

Introduction:

In this edition of Script to Strategy: CEO Series, I had the opportunity to speak with Shanel, Product & Clinical Director at Apotec, a pharmacy-first technology company that’s redefining how community pharmacies manage their workflow. Apotec’s Clinical CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) system is gaining traction across the UK for its modern, intuitive interface designed by pharmacists, for pharmacists.

With years of clinical experience and a deep understanding of the operational challenges facing pharmacy teams, Shanel plays a pivotal role in shaping Apotec’s direction – ensuring the platform not only meets regulatory standards but also genuinely supports safer and more efficient patient care.

The aim of this blog is to give pharmacists a glimpse behind the scenes of a business that sits at the intersection of healthcare and technology. Through this conversation, we explore what it takes to build a pharmacy-focused tech product, the challenges of scaling in a clinical space, and Shanel’s insights on leadership, innovation, and the future of pharmacy.

Key Facts:

– Investors: Apotec’s investors are primarily owner–contractors of independent pharmacy chains, collectively covering a baseline of approximately 1,300 pharmacy outlets across the UK.

– Apotec CRM: A Clinical Customer Relationship Management solution that enhances and modernises traditional PMR dispensing systems, enabling pharmacists to proactively engage with patients.

– Focus: Heavy emphasis on workflow innovation – features like scan-based dispensing streamline processes and free up pharmacists’ time for service-led, patient-centred care.

– Data Insight: Pharmacies already hold incredible patient data, but it often sits unused. Apotec focuses on unlocking this information to help pharmacists make better decisions and improve care in real time.

– Leadership: Led by Shanel Raichura, Clinical Director and active pharmacy contractor in North London, alongside other senior leaders from EMIS and ProScript Connect, bringing deep industry knowledge and first-hand experience of the challenges at the coalface.

– Locum Engagement: Apotec recognises the critical role of locum pharmacists and is keen to actively engage them during rollout to avoid issues seen in other system launches like LS Retail into the Lloyds Pharmacy estate at the time.

💼 Business & Industry

Q1: The UK PMR system market is worth over £100m annually, dominated by a few players. What inspired Apotec to enter this space and what gaps did you identify that others haven’t addressed?

I had a unique vantage point from both sides of the pharmacy tech world. While working at EMIS and later as Clinical Director for Community Pharmacy, I was closely involved with ProScript Connect – one of the UK’s most widely used PMR systems. That experience gave me deep insight into the strengths and limitations of traditional PMRs. And as a pharmacy contractor myself in North London, I’ve seen first-hand the challenges at the coalface.

That perspective shaped Apotec’s approach – we weren’t just building a system for pharmacies; we were building it with them, understanding the pressures teams face daily. Apotec isn’t just about dispensing; it’s a clinical customer relationship management solution that enhances and modernises PMR systems, empowering teams to work smarter and deliver better care. We also see huge potential in unlocking the incredible patient data pharmacies already hold – data which often goes unused. Apotec will focus on helping contractors turn this into actionable insight to drive better care.

Q2: How did Apotec go from an idea to funded platform?

It came from frustration with the lack of innovation in Community Pharmacy IT. Systems were too rigid and slow to support contractors who needed more. I wanted something more agile – where we could make quick decisions to support change. Several of us from EMIS’ senior team, including those who worked on ProScript Connect, left to found Apotec. Through our relationships with owner–contractors, we secured investment early on, giving us a baseline network of around 1,300 pharmacies.

🚀 Growth & Strategy

Q3: What’s been your biggest challenge scaling Apotec — tech-wise, regulatory, or cultural — and how did you overcome it?

The hardest part? Creating a reason for contractors to switch systems. Let’s be honest – people love ProScript Connect. And as an “ex-ProScript” team, we understood its strengths. But our stakeholders wanted a product that was different – one that alleviates pharmacist time and supports service-led care. As a pharmacy contractor in North London, I know how critical it is to have systems that take pressure off the frontline. Features like scan-based dispensing aren’t just technical upgrades – they’re designed to give pharmacists back time for patients and services. Combined with better use of patient data, this is about driving smarter, more proactive care.

We’ve also worked hard to make Apotec intuitive. While we provide comprehensive written guides, video content, and onsite training for teams, we know this isn’t enough. We’ve learned lessons from the Lloyds Pharmacy rollout of LS Retail, which became a disaster when locum pharmacists refused to work with the system. Locums are critical to pharmacy operations, and as we roll out at pace this year, we’re actively engaging this community to ensure they’re familiar with Apotec and confident using it from day one.

Working with the NHS has also been a challenge. Their papers talk about innovation, but Community Pharmacy hasn’t seen the same pace of change as other parts of the NHS. We’ve built Apotec to be agile – ready now and ready for wider integration later. Culturally, it’s been about shifting mindsets – helping teams see IT not as a cost but as a strategic enabler. We tackled this by co-designing with contractors and showing measurable impact early on.

🧠 Leadership & Decision-Making

Q5: How do you personally balance clinical insight with business leadership? Do you feel pharmacists make good founders — why or why not?

Balancing both means staying close to the clinical frontline so I can really understand the daily pressures, while also stepping back to take a strategic, long-term view. As a pharmacy contractor myself, I get how decisions affect teams and patients. But as a leader at Apotec, I also have to think about scalability, technology, and change management. Do I think pharmacists make good founders? Absolutely – we’re trained to solve problems under pressure, manage risk, and deal with people. But to succeed in business, you need to pair that with an openness to learning outside pharmacy – in finance, leadership, and tech – and surround yourself with people who bring complementary skills.

Q6: What are three bold moves Apotec is planning over the next 12–18 months, and what impact do you hope to have?

Supporting the rollout of Independent Prescribing with embedded tools that make consultations safer and more efficient. – Launching advanced data analytics to help contractors make smarter, data-driven decisions – improving both patient care and operational performance. – Expanding interoperability to connect Apotec CRM with wider healthcare systems for seamless care across settings.

The goal is to empower pharmacists to work at the top of their licence, free up time for patient-facing care, and create a more sustainable, rewarding environment for teams.

📣 Advice & Reflection

Q7: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to pharmacists or pharmacy students wanting to build something outside the dispensary?

Start with the problem, not the solution. Spend time listening to the people you want to help and validate your ideas early. You don’t need the perfect product to start – iterate as you learn. And don’t be afraid to bring in expertise from outside pharmacy. Building a business is a team sport. Most importantly, back yourself – your clinical insight is a unique asset that can drive innovation in healthcare.

Final Thoughts

Speaking with Shanel offered a valuable look into the evolving relationship between pharmacy and technology. Apotec’s mission to streamline workflow and improve patient safety is a reminder that innovation in our sector doesn’t always come from the top down — it often starts with pharmacists who understand the day-to-day realities of the job.

Whether you’re a locum, contractor, or pharmacy owner, hearing from the people behind tools like Apotec gives us a deeper appreciation for the systems we rely on — and maybe even inspires us to play a part in shaping the future of pharmacy ourselves.

Stay tuned for more insights, interviews, and experiences from across the profession — right here on The Travelling Pharmacist.

For more information on Apotec: https://www.apotec.com

Resources for Locum’s: https://help.apoteccrm.com/#locum-resources