NPA IN FOCUS


NPA Member Forum June 2025 We were delighted to welcome our NPA members to the recent Member Forum in Belfast, hosted by Olivier Picard, NPA Chair, and Joanne McMullan, NI Board Representative.


Joanne has recently joined the NPA Board to represent NPA members in Northern Ireland. She is passionate about community pharmacy and the potential developments we can bring to local healthcare, and has served over 20 years as a contractor in Portaferry.


Joanne is encouraging members to contact her with any ideas you may have for the NPA and opportunities for independent pharmacies in Northern Ireland. A constant dialogue with NPA members is an essential part of good governance, underpinning the drive for continuous improvement, whilst ensuring the NPA supports you on your journey.


Joanne also paid tribute to her immediate predecessor as NPA board member in Northern Ireland, Michael Guerin. Michael was a great ambassador and advocate for community pharmacy, and the NPA are truly appreciative of his time and energy.


The Forum discussed a wide range of issues from driving commissioned services and private income through independent prescribing, point of care testing, the vital nature of insurance and digital tools to support services.


There was significant interest in the range of support available for Independent Prescribers from expanding the range of competence to record keeping and completing clinical audits. All resources are available on the NPA’s Independent Prescribing Hub.


We also heard from Lisa Banks, Managing Director of NPA Insurance, who explained the important enhancements NPAI has developed and delivered in the past year, culminating in winning the significant accolade of Specialist Coverage Award at the National Insurance Awards recently.


As Community Pharmacy’s responsibilities expand and diversify the NPA has reviewed our policyholders’ evolving protection requirements and developed specialist coverage with significant enhancements to our indemnity cover to provide assurance for members. Our policy includes weight loss prescribing, and an extensive list of


Anne McAllister Northern Ireland Representation Manager


private treatments and advanced services such diabetes management, allergy and cholesterol testing, hair loss and erectile dysfunction without extra charge, helping pharmacies access new income streams.


If you missed the NPA Member Forum but would like any more detail on discussions please contact a.mcalister@npa.co.uk.


NPA Learn Remember that all colleagues in NPA member pharmacies, including pharmacy managers, supervisors, support staff and students can access courses and learning to support them in improving skills, knowledge and wellbeing in the workplace via NPA Learn. The interactive platform offers a variety of courses, resources, and tools tailored to different roles and is available on different devices.


Visit the Membership Hub and register with NPA Learn today.


NPA Elects New Chair and First Female Vice Chair


Olivier Picard has replaced Nick Kaye as Chair of the National Pharmacy Association, following the conclusion of Nick’s fixed term in office in April 2025. Based in Marlow, England, Olivier owns and operates four pharmacies in the Home Counties and has served as the association’s Vice Chair for the past two years.


Sukhi Basra has been appointed Vice Chair and Baldev Bange takes on the role of Treasurer.


Reflecting on his tenure, outgoing Chair Nick Kaye said, “It has been the professional privilege of my career to chair an organisation I care so deeply about. We as an organisation are for our members from our members – a family of families. This ethos runs through everything we do.”


Olivier Picard said, “It’s an honour to take over as chair from my brilliant predecessor Nick Kaye who has worked so energetically on behalf of NPA members and will undoubtedly continue to do so.


“I will keep asking, why are we here and how can we make things better, together? For me the answer to that question is because we care, because we can see a system that can be better, because we believe that change is possible, and because we know that the people we serve – our patients, our communities and our colleagues deserve nothing less.”


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