EXCLUSIVE: Round 2 with Mr Dispenser

Who hides under a hoodie
like this?

Yes, the world's most talked about pharmacist is back. Since my last encounter with the man behind "Pills, Thrills and Methadone Spills" earlier this year, he's brought out a second version of his much celebrated, talked about and read book.

"Pills, Thrills and Methadone Spills 2" is a sequel to the original. He launched it at the recent annual Pharmacy Show in Birmingham and overwhelmed his fans with a delightful presence in the NEC. Once again, anecdotes and much hilarity is shared in the second version of this successful book.

The reader is once again taken in the world of a dispensary but in a way that entertains and informs with much hilarity. Already since it's launch, it has received positive feedback and much has been made of the comedy element of the book. This is a must read for anyone who is a pharmacist and for those who work in a pharmacy, regardless of their role in the dispensary.

But, arguably, the biggest winning point about this book is the unifying force it has to bring many people within the profession together and to relate to the experiences shared in the book. Never has such a phenomenon achieved so much in common between people, especially within a profession where inter-connectivity between people within the profession across a local area or nationally can be limited.

I had the pleasure in talking to the man behind "Pills, Thrills and Methadone Spills 2":

Q1: So I remember all those months ago you and I chatting away with anticipation over the release of the first edition of your new book - you are back again for more with a second edition now. What are you aiming to achieve this time around?

MR DISPENSER: I am aiming to make people laugh again and raise more money for the Pharmacist Support Charity. The first book caught people by surprise.

Q2: There's no doubt that you were very popular at the recent Pharmacy Show in Birmingham. Apart from all the positive appreciation shown towards your first book, what kind of feedback did you receive?

MR DISPENSER: At the Pharmacy Show, feedback mainly consisted of ‘I thought you’d be taller’.

Q3: Your identity must have been obvious in Birmingham, surely?

MR DISPENSER: Well clearly, people saw my face but my badge said Mr Dispenser on it. In the majority of photographs that were taken my back was to camera. I was surprised that most people didn’t actually ask my real name.

Q4: Are you planning to take up new initiatives or activities such as a national tour so that pharmacists everywhere can see you?

MR DISPENSER: It’s not quite a national tour but I am planning to visit a few universities. I attended the Huddersfield University Oath ceremony on Friday and gave a short speech to all the students. It was one minute inspirational and four minutes of stand-up. I can generally be found at most pharmacy conferences too.

Q5: Will we see a third edition of your book?

MR DISPENSER: I genuinely don’t know at the moment. I promised myself whilst editing the second that I wouldn’t do a third but I normally lie to myself. If I think that I can make it as good as the first two, then I will do a third. At the moment, I can’t guarantee that.

A major thank you to Mr Dispenser for answering more of my inquisitive questions. His book is now available to buy as a paperback or on Kindle. 

And, yes, the mystery remains. Who is the person behind Mr Dispenser?