Future of Pharmacy Debate at the House of Lords

Head of School, Prof Clive Roberts was recently a panel member of a meeting at the House of Lords

Head of School, Prof Clive Roberts, as a member of the Pharmacy Schools Council Executive was recently a panel member of a meeting at the House of Lords on ‘The Future of Pharmacy – community pharmacy and other innovations in 2019 and beyond’

The meeting was Chaired by Baroness Cumberlege and by Professor Roger Williams who is Chair of Conservative Health and aimed to look ahead at the developing role of the Pharmacist in its many aspects in the NHS. Other panel members were Liz Butterfield, President, Primary Care Pharmacy Association; Andrew Lane, Board Member, National Pharmacy Association; Paul McManamon Advanced clinical practitioner pharmacist working in A&E in the NHS and Sandra Gidley, Chair of the English Pharmacy Board, Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Following the panel presentations there was a lively debate with the different health professionals represented in the audience on the challenges and opportunities to improve funding and support for education and the profession as a whole, so as to allow Pharmacists to increase their contribution to the improvement of public health both within and beyond the NHS Long Term plan.