Philippa Ward

Hi, I'm Philippa Ward, Government Affairs Manager, from Teva UK

“Teva appreciates that every employee’s experience is different and really encourages a healthy work/life balance”

I’ve worked at Teva for 15 years and it’s important to me to be part of a business that really cares about its employees. This is something that I’ve experienced first-hand. When my son Thomas was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder eight years ago, my world was turned upside down.

Thomas has a condition called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). This causes non-cancerous tumours to develop in various vital organs – Thomas has them in his brain, which has caused epilepsy and profound learning difficulties.

When I returned to work from maternity leave, colleagues and managers were all very supportive. With some employers, my situation could have limited my career – but not at Teva. If I needed to take time off to attend hospital or other appointments for Thomas, I felt supported every step of the way.

That continues today and has allowed my role to grow with me. I’m responsible for keeping the business informed about the latest key political issues affecting the pharmaceutical sector, and also do a lot of lobbying with various government stakeholders. It’s a job that I find challenging, fulfilling and enjoyable.

Teva appreciates that every employee’s experience is different and really encourages a healthy work/life balance, through a wide range of policies.

When you work for Teva, you’re on a journey to enrich your skills and achieve your best potential. And this extends to outside the workplace.

There was an issue recently over whether the NHS would make a drug available to treat people with the same condition as Thomas (he had benefitted through receiving it via a clinical trial). I offered to work with the TSC charity on its media campaign, which led to me being interviewed for a television news piece. It was completely out of my comfort zone, but the skills I’d learnt during my career at Teva made me feel confident enough to do it.

I’m also proud to be part of a company that truly values diversity. That’s why I’ve joined our new Inclusion and Diversity group, which aims to give people from a wide range of backgrounds a stronger voice within the organisation. As the parent of a disabled child, it’s another great Teva way for helping me to feel included.