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Medicines Policy Series:
Shaping the Future of Medicines

Pharmacy is at the forefront of healthcare transformation from clinical care and medicines access to prevention and systems leadership. The Medicines Policy Series brings together senior voices from the NHS, academia, industry, and professional bodies to shape the next chapter of pharmacy in the UK and beyond.

Expert insights forum

Programme Components:

  • 5 Virtual, 90-minute invitation-only roundtables featuring keynote speakers and open discussion.

  • 1 In-person roundtable at the HETT Conference in London.

  • 6 Insight Reports capturing key recommendations and outputs.

Roundtable 1: The Role of Medicines in the 10-Year Plan

Date: 25th June | 🕒 Time: 5:30–7:00 PM (UK Time GMT+1)

Theme: "The Role of Medicines in Delivering the NHS 10-Year Plan"

​Overview:

This high-impact roundtable brings together healthcare leaders to explore how pharmacy services can play a pivotal role in delivering the objectives of the NHS 10-Year Plan. Focus areas include integration, innovation, and medicines optimisation in a rapidly evolving policy landscape.

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Yousaf Ahmad

ICS Chief Pharmacist and Director of Medicines Optimisation, NHS Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System

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Aditya Aggarwal

Pharmacist and Deputy General Manager for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

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Reena Patel

Senior Healthcare Strategy Consultant, Principal Pharmacist and Clinical Safety Officer

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Vishal Mashru

​Head of PCN Medicines and Research

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Roundtable 2: Scaling Independent Prescribing in Community Pharmacy

Date: 1st July | 🕒 Time: 7:30–9:00 PM (UK Time GMT+1)

Theme: Advancing Clinical Roles Through Independent Prescribing in Community Pharmacy

Overview:

The second roundtable in the Pharmacy Policy Series focuses on the critical theme of scaling independent prescribing within community pharmacy. As healthcare systems evolve, empowering pharmacists with prescribing rights is essential to enhance access, relieve pressure on general practice, and optimise patient outcomes.

This session convenes senior leaders in pharmacy policy, clinical education, and community practice to examine the opportunities, frameworks, and strategic actions required to embed independent prescribing as a core component of primary care delivery.

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Shilpa Shah

Chief Executive Officer of the Northeast London Local Pharmaceutical Committee

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Reena Barai

​Community Pharmacist, Owner, S.G. Barai Pharmacy, Co-founder, Female Pharmacy Leaders Network

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Olivier Picard

National Pharmacy Association, Founder & ampersand; CEO, Newsday Pharmacy Ltd and Independent Prescribing Pharmacist

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Jignesh Patel

Independent Prescribing Pharmacist

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Lauren Reber

NEL ICB Workforce Project Facilitator

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Hear from our speakers

Roundtable 3: Making the Most of the Pharmacy Workforce

Date: 8th September | 🕒 Time: 6:30-8:00pm UK Time (GMT+1)

Theme: The pharmacy workforce to meet growing system needs

Overview:

The Medicine Policy Series Programme explores the evolving role of pharmacy in delivering integrated, community-focused care in line with NHS ambitions. Through a series of closed-door roundtables, forums, and insight reports, this programme brings together diverse senior healthcare leaders to identify practical improvements that support the integration and expansion of pharmacy services across the care continuum.

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Stephen Riley

MPharm MSc DIC FRCPharm FRSM

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Zehra Safdar

Chief Operating Officer for the Southwest London Training Hub and healthcare consultant

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Yousaf Ahmad

​ICS Chief Pharmacist and Director of Medicines Optimisation, NHS Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System 

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Uzo Ibechukwu

MPharm, MSc Health policy, MSc Human resource management, Director of Pharmacy & Medicines Optimisation Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

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Fin McCaul

​FRPharmS, Vice Chair & CPE Regional Representative, Pharmaceutical services negotiating committee

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Hear from our speaker

Fin McCaul
FRPharmS, Vice Chair & CPE Regional Representative, Pharmaceutical services negotiating committee

Roundtable 4: The Future of Pharmacy – Innovation, Integration, and Impact

Date: 24th September | 🕒 Time: 5:30-7:00pm UK Time (GMT+1)

Theme: Innovations that are shaping the future of pharmacy

Overview:

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As the NHS evolves, pharmacy must do too in the face of technological, educational, and workforce transformation, this roundtable will explore the future of the profession through the lens of innovation. It will explore how pharmacy can drive better outcomes through strategic medicines optimisation, digital innovation, and workforce transformation. Through dynamic discussion, stakeholders will examine opportunities and practical challenges facing the system, and propose collaborative strategies to ensure innovation enhances care, inclusion, and long-term sustainability across the pharmacy workforce and services.

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Reena Patel

Senior Healthcare Strategy Consultant & Principal Pharmacist

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Aris Saoulidis

​Senior pharmacist, NHS East Genomics

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Gemma Quinn

Head of School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford

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Neil Hardy

Chief Pharmacist to NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB

Hear from our speaker

Reena Patel
Senior Healthcare Strategy Consultant, Leeds Health & Care

Aris Saoulidis

Senior pharmacist, NHS East Genomics

Roundtable 5: The Future of Medicines Optimisation: Driving Innovation, Equity and Better Use

Date: 7th October | 🕒 Time: 12:50-1:50pm UK Time (GMT+1)

Overview:

Theme: Future of Medicines

This roundtable will focus on how digital innovation is reshaping the future of medicines optimisation across pharmacy and wider healthcare systems. Stakeholders will examine the role of AI, automation, and digital tools in enhancing clinical decision-making, patient outcomes, and system efficiency. The roundtable will also consider ethical considerations, safety standards, and practical implications of digital adoption – ensuring that innovation is inclusive, scalable, and aligned with integrated models of care.

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Reena Patel

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Senior Healthcare Strategy Consultant, Principal Pharmacist and Clinical Safety Officer

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Laura Boyd

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Epidemiology, MSc Development Studies, Director of Digital Partnerships, Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber

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David Edeson

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​Associate Director for Medicines Optimisation & Clinical Director for Long Term Conditions, West Yorkshire ICB 

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Dr Arrash Yassaee

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​Deputy Director (Medtech Innovation), NHS England

Roudtable 6: A Pharmacy Lens on Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic & Obesity - Integrated Neighbourhood Care

Date: 22nd November | 🕒 Time: 12:00- 13:00pm, CPC North, Roundtable Discussion Area, Manchester Central Convention Complex, Windmill St, Manchester, M1 79G  (In-Person) 

Overview:

Theme: Future of Primary Care

This roundtable will explore how pharmacy-enabled neighbourhood teams can deliver integrated, patient-centred care for people at risk of cardiovascular, renal, metabolic conditions, and obesity. The discussion will focus on building pharmacy capacity, including independent prescribing, diagnostic access, data visibility, and patient coaching, while aligning time and incentives with meaningful outcomes. The session will examine medicines optimisation, standardising protocols for initiation, titration, and deprescribing, and ensuring the right medicines reach the right patients at the right time. It will also highlight digital and data enablers for shared care planning, real-time collaboration, and coordinated care, while considering how national policy and incentives can support or hinder progress.A population-health perspective will underpin the discussion, strengthening pharmacists’ leadership, enhancing pharmacy technicians’ roles, and driving improvements in long-term condition management in line with the NHS 10-Year Plan.

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Ghulam Haydar  

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National Senior Policy Lead, Pharmacy, NHS England

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Stephen Riley

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​MPharm MSc DIC FRCPharm FRSM

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David Edeson

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Associate Director for Medicines Optimisation & Clinical Director for Long Term Conditions, West Yorkshire ICB 

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Alistair Gray

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MRPharmS, BSc (Hons), DipClinPharm

Chief Pharmacy Information Officer, NW Regional Digital Pharmacy & Medicines Lead​

Hear from our speaker

David Edeson

BPharm, MPharm

Associate Director for Medicines Optimisation & Clinical Director for Long Term Conditions, West Yorkshire ICB ​

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