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UCL academic to chair pharmacy commission ahead of significant industry changes

21 June 2022

A new UK-wide Commission set up by the NHS, tasked with producing a ‘blueprint for the purpose, role and functions’ of future professional pharmacy leadership, will be co-chaired by Professor Dame Jane Dacre (UCL Medical School).

Dr Jane Dacre

The ‘UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership’ has been set up to listen to and provide guidance and support to the sector, ahead of several significant changes that will impact frontline pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

These changes include:

  • Expanding clinical roles and greater professional autonomy for pharmacy professionals in the NHS.
  • New initial education and training standards for pharmacists, which mean they will be independent prescribers from day one of registration from 2026.
  • Regulatory and legislative changes that will impact on pharmacy professional practice.
  • The potential of legislative changes to increase the contributions of pharmacy technicians to patient care and service delivery.
  • The development and impact of data and technology on the delivery of health care.

The Commission, co-chaired by Nigel Clarke, former chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), will engage with pharmacy professionals across the UK through webinars held in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

It will establish working groups to consider key areas of focus including: leadership, policy and professionalism; regulatory support; professional education and training; regional, country and international relations; and scope of practice of future pharmacy professionals.

Launching the Commission, in a letter to registered pharmacy professionals, the co-chairs said: “Professional leadership has never been so important. There are significant changes impacting on the pharmacist and pharmacy technician professions and we need to ensure the professions are well equipped, with a voice to help shape the future, and enabled to develop through sharing and learning from best practice.”

The Commission will meet up to four times during 2022 and aims to report its recommendations for the ‘purpose and functions of future pharmacy professional leadership’, by the end of the year.

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Media contact 

Henry Killworth
Tel: + 44 (0) 7881 833274
E: h.killworth [at] ucl.ac.uk