The Royal Pharmaceutical Society
It has been announced that Gail Caldwell, director of pharmacy at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) and a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), is the latest recipient of the RPS Charter Award.
The RPS Charter Award is given to individuals for their work “for the Society and the wider profession” in promoting the interests of pharmacy at an outstanding level. It has been awarded since 1963.
Announcing the award on 11 March 2025, the RPS said: “With over three decades of leadership in pharmacy, Gail has been a driving force in service and workforce development, medicines policy, and professional standards across Scotland.
“Recognised as a moderniser of pharmacy, she has held senior roles and led major national initiatives including the national evaluation and rollout of Pharmacy First and secured funding to implement hospital electronic prescribing and medicines administration across health boards in Scotland.”
She also served as vice-chair of the Scottish Medicines Consortium, led the NHS GGC pharmacy response during the COVID-19 pandemic and recently established the first consultant pharmacist in Scotland.
Caldwell said she was “honoured and delighted” to receive the award.
“Throughout my career, I have endeavoured to advance practice, creating the conditions for the pharmacy workforce to maximise their contribution to patient care and, in doing so, deliver much needed additional healthcare capacity,” she added.
“I would like to pay tribute to the dedication and professionalism of all the pharmacy teams across Scotland and thank my family and my colleagues for all their care and support throughout my career. As a lifelong member of the RPS, I have always been committed to supporting members and the leadership of the wider profession.”
Congratulating Caldwell on her award, Paul Bennett, chief executive of the RPS, said: “Gail’s career is an excellent example of leadership, innovation and dedication to improving pharmacy services.
“Her contributions have had a profound impact on patient care and the profession, with her unwavering commitment to service improvement, patient safety and education — leaving a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire and shape the future of pharmacy for many years to come.”
In 2024, Bristol-based pharmacist Ade Williams was given the RPS Charter Award for having “consistently demonstrated pharmacy’s role in providing comprehensive and affordable healthcare solutions for the community”.
