Meet the Team — Kerry Ormerod

In our latest instalment of Meet the Team we talk to Kerry Ormerod about a new NHS vaccination project she’s involved in, stepping into customers’ shoes and escaping to the great outdoors…

What does a normal day for a test lead look like?

As part of the Pharmacy Services team, I test our systems’ functionality to make sure they work as they should and that there are no nasty bugs. It’s my job to make sure our platforms are intuitive and that often means stepping into our customers’ shoes – checking users can move through the workflows with ease and quickly spotting and solving any areas that need improvement.

You’ve been with Cegedim Rx for over 11 years, is there anything that surprises you still?

Yes! I'm often surprised by how creatively and differently some of our users interact with our platforms. There have been times when questions have been raised by users because they’ve interpreted things in a surprising way. It keeps you on your toes and challenges you to never make assumptions.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Knowing that our work is relieving the pressure from GP practices and pharmacy teams and helping the general public is really rewarding. I was very proud when we rolled out functionality to support Pharmacy First in England. You’d hear people talk about receiving care from their pharmacy and there’s a part of you that thinks – we helped make that happen. I’m very proud of our platforms too. How they look and work, but also how much they’re helping our customers and their patients. That’s very rewarding.

Speaking of NHS projects you’re helping make happen, you’re also involved in the development of a new vaccination workflow for flu and covid aren’t you. Can you tell me more about that?

Yes, I’m the test lead on that project. And it’s been a big project! When we first looked at the NHS requirements, it felt like a big mountain to climb, but we've managed to do it – and with great usability. The product team, developers and quality assurance team have all worked closely together. First, the product team wrote the requirements. Then we started developing it and testing it to check that it's bug free, and it works smoothly – all without impacting any of our other services. It's another service that is going to be easy for the users to pick up and help make the Autumn/ Winter vaccination period more manageable.

What part of the project would you say you're most proud of?

I’m proud of the tech. It’ll be added to Pharmacy Services soon and it’s going to help pharmacies so much. From making recording vaccinations across any smart device easier to being able to generate an NHS claim automatically.

What do you think has been the key to success on this project?

Definitely teamwork. It’s been a big project with the NHS, the deadlines have been strict, and it’s been a lot of hard work and long hours, but we’re on track to deliver something pharmacies will quickly rely upon. We’re a close team at Cegedim Rx. There’s always someone who you can ask for help and when one department succeeds, we all celebrate it. It’s a great place to work.

When you’re not testing pharmacy systems, how do you like to relax?

I spend a lot of time in the great outdoors. I adopted a rescue dog a few years ago, his name is Noah, so I’m often walking him or looking after my horse. I love running too. I’m always outside!