Building an influential and inclusive Royal College of Pharmacy

I come as: 

• A proven pharmacy leader with 20 plus years in managing services in secondary care, collaborating closely with primary care and academia to advance safe, patient-centred practice and professional excellence;
• A champion for mental health, equity and workforce sustainability, driving mental health advocacy, workforce development as co-lead on pharmacy workforce transformation in integrated care systems and equality, diversity and inclusion to build an inclusive, high-performing profession;
• Governance-focused and outcome-driven, committed to ensuring the Senate and Board of Trustees of the council provide robust oversight, transparent decision-making and deliver strategies that strengthen professional development and public trust.

My roles as Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Ambassador, staff governor and member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy have enabled me drive improvements in inclusion, representation, patient and staff experience, while raising the profession’s visibility and influence.

As race and culture equity network lead in my organisation, I promote equity‑focused leadership which aligns with RPS commitments, helping establish a regional workforce group, tackling workplace discrimination and shaping priorities through authentic insight into inequality.

The profession is facing a critical juncture in its history, as it transitions into a royal college and faces challenges across all sectors. This provides an opportunity for the royal college to reflect, review and shape the profession based on government health policy and feedback from pharmacy professional stakeholders.

It is imperative that the royal college helps shape a profession that is fit for purpose, future proofed and able to confidently stride within a fast-changing healthcare landscape, as well as being a strong influence on government.

I am passionate about:

• Uniting pharmacy as a cohesive profession;
• Growing the royal college membership;
• Ensuring the royal college continues to play a proactive role in advocacy, collaboration and professional leadership.  

My passion for an inclusive pharmacy profession, as well as my vision for a confident, visible, inclusive and influential royal college, advocating for advanced roles, integrated pharmacy practice, greater engagement with research and digital innovation, underpinned by rigorous governance, transparent decision-making are some of the reasons that have motivated me to run for office.

If elected, I will:

• Champion a more integrated pharmacy practice approach to improve patient care through strengthening professional development;
• Promote a unified profession while valuing specialist expertise;
• Grow the royal college membership to ensure a truly inclusive organisation, representative of the profession it serves;
• Support in developing an influential, visible and inclusive royal college, which is effective in advocating for the pharmacy profession.

Andrea Okoloekwe

Candidate for the inaugural elections to the English Pharmacy Advisory Council