Ashraf Zaman is an Advanced Clinical Pharmacist with over 18 years of extensive experience in the pharmacy sector. Ashraf holds a diverse portfolio of current professional roles. Since 2017, Ashraf has been working in General Practice, where he sees patients daily and observes many of the challenges caused by an overstretched NHS. Additionally, he serves as an NHS Commissioner on the Integrated Care Board for North East London, where he works strategically with partners and stakeholders to lead service improvement and NHS transformation, providing clinical expertise to the leadership team through advice, recommendations, and challenges. He is also responsible for training and mentoring junior pharmacists transitioning from community pharmacy roles into general practice.

Ashraf graduated from the School of Pharmacy at the University of London in 2006 and became a qualified pharmacist in 2007. His advanced education includes a postgraduate certification in Independent Prescribing and Pharmacy Practice from the University of Hertfordshire and Keele University. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Advanced Clinical Practice at City and St George's University.

Ashraf's career spans a wide array of pharmacy sectors, including community pharmacies, hospitals, and general practice. He began as a locum pharmacist across London and the South East, playing a vital role in establishing several 100-hour pharmacies. Throughout his extensive career, he has worked at more than 500 pharmacies, gaining a robust understanding of various pharmacy systems and processes, especially within independent and chain pharmacies.

He has held several senior management positions, including Superintendent Pharmacist, where he led the preparation for numerous GPhC inspections, ensuring compliance with clinical governance and regulatory standards. Ashraf also assisted general practice managers in preparing for CQC inspections, which provided him with valuable insights into the regulatory environment.

Ashraf is deeply committed to patient-centred care and has a strong passion for serving his community. He has advocated for healthy living in East London, especially among disadvantaged populations. He has closely worked with the local authority in the delivery of training to professional care workers who work within the health and social care sector in looking after elderly and vulnerable patients.

In his dedication to professional training and education, Ashraf has conducted numerous workshops for community stakeholders, patients, and healthcare professionals. He has also mentored medical and pharmacy students in various capacities as a pharmacist supervisor. As Lead Pharmacist, he collaborated with institutions like UCL University to deliver innovative pharmaceutical services, including a clinical service directly funded and commissioned by Downing Street to assess its viability for wider sector rollout.

In 2016, while residing in Egypt, Ashraf served as a Pharmaceutical Consultant for a major Egyptian pharmaceutical company. In this capacity, he provided advisory services to the CEO, gaining valuable international experience and unique insights into the global pharmaceutical industry.

He held the position of Managing Director for a UK-registered medical charity operating weekly GP clinics in rural Bangladesh, providing free medical care and medication to those in need. His efforts led to the establishment of 15 new clinics, implementing an IT software application to function as the medical and clinical record system. Ashraf played a key role in forming a UK medical and management group consisting of experienced consultants, GPs and pharmacists.

The innovative development of clinical IT software and the distinctive approach of this medical charity attracted the visit of the UK High Commissioner, Robert Chatterton Dickson, to one of their flagship clinics in Sylhet. The success of this relatively small charity facilitated multiple meetings between Ashraf and his colleagues with the Health Minister and the Planning Minister during the height of the Covid pandemic. These discussions centred on leveraging their experiences to explore how the integration of a digital medical record-keeping system could be implemented within the broader healthcare sector in Bangladesh. Further engagement occurred with the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and a junior government minister during their visit to London.

Ashraf has also been actively involved in his local community, serving as a parent governor at his children's primary school and as a co-opted member of the Education and Children’s Committee for Tower Hamlets Council, overseeing educational and children’s services.

His interest in digital healthcare was sparked during his time as a senior pharmacist with digital health companies like Babylon Health and GPDQ, which specialise in remote healthcare services.