PSNC welcomes new Chief Pharmacist

NHS England has recently confirmed the appointment of David Webb as the next Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPhO) for England.

Mr Webb, who will start in February, is currently Chief Pharmacist and Clinical Director for Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation. He is also joint chair of the South East London Pharmacy Leadership Team,  bringing together pharmacy professionals from community pharmacy, primary care, commissioning and acute, specialist, mental and community health practice to deliver vital COVID-19 responses and the optimisation of medicines.

In his new role, Mr Webb will be a member of NHS England and NHS Improvement Medical Directorate’s senior management team, the UK Government Chief Medical Officer’s senior clinical group, Head of the Pharmacy Professions in England and the principal advisor on pharmacy and medicines use in the NHS, which includes supporting the Department of Health and Social Care.

The CPhO will also lead a team of pharmacy professionals, working at both national and regional level, to ensure pharmacy professional advice is deployed effectively to improve patient care, as well as being the professional leader to over 70,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians registered in England.

All at PSNC would like to welcome David to his new post. We look forward to working closely with him on the many challenges that the sector faces over the coming years.

We would like to thank the outgoing Chief Pharmacist, Dr Keith Ridge CBE, for his 16 years of service. During his tenure, he oversaw the establishment of the General Pharmaceutical Council, led on several Government and NHS reviews and helped to ensure a continuous supply of medicines for patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zoe Long, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at PSNC, said:

“We are looking forward to working with David over the coming months and years. Community pharmacy is going through an extremely pressurised time, with a workforce crisis, growing financial and capacity constraints for contractors, and the ongoing impact of COVID-19. But with the right support in place, pharmacists working in community pharmacy also have so much more to offer to support their local communities, who are already becoming increasingly reliant on them. The CPhO’s role as an advocate for pharmacists working across all sectors has never been more critical, and it goes without saying that we stand ready to support David in this important role.”