Barry Andrews (1944–2021)

Barry Andrews CBE FRPharmS, former chair of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and managing director of Moss Pharmacy, has died aged 77 years.

Andrews’ career began in 1965 when, as a pharmacist in his early 20s, he joined what was then Moss Chemists. Rising up the ranks, he went on to become the company’s managing director — a post he held from 1986 until 2000, during which time the company underwent significant changes. In 1991, Moss Pharmacy was acquired by the UniChem group, which merged with Alliance Santé in 1997 to form Alliance Unichem PLC. Andrews sat on the board of UniChem PLC as retail director from 1992 and retained this role following the merger, stepping down in 2001. In 2005, Moss Pharmacy was rebranded as Alliance Pharmacy.

Steve Duncan, past chair of Alliance Boots UK and former managing director of Alliance Pharmacy, succeeded Andrews in the role at Moss Pharmacy.

“I first met Barry in the 1970s, upon starting my career and looking for my first job in pharmacy,” Duncan recalled.

“It was clear from this first meeting that he was driven by two linked ambitions that proved to be guiding principles to his entire journey within the profession, and from which he never wavered. He wanted to build a successful retail chain and use that as a vehicle to promote a strong and evolutionary pharmacy sector.

“At the start of this journey, the profession was an evolving mixture of a manufacturing and a supply chain function. Barry was clear that a successful future depended on developing and providing a much wider focus on services directed to patients and other healthcare providers. Furthermore, he saw the importance of promoting this to all pharmacy practitioners and, to that end, freely shared developed services [with] the wider pharmacy community.

“His work within the Moss and Alliance retail chain he helped build, and within the professional bodies that he contributed to and the many people he helped to develop, was a true force for progress within the profession of pharmacy and an inspiration to many. A true leader throughout his career.”

Tricia Kennerly, vice president and director of International Public Affairs at Walgreen Boots Alliance, recalled Andrews’ “ability to make everyone feel at ease”.

“During his time at Moss, many pharmacists were tutored under his leadership, with many going on to develop into senior leaders in community pharmacy multiple organisations themselves.

“He recognised the need for the pharmacy profession to transform and develop into services and, through his representative role at the Company Chemists’ Association and PSNC, he gained the respect of peers from across the community pharmacy sector: leading, ultimately, to him being appointed the chair of PSNC. He strove to create unity across the different sectors of community pharmacy.

“Barry was a fair and inspiring boss with a wicked sense of humour. He will be sorely missed.”

Andrews took up the role of PSNC chair in 2001, remaining in post until 2007.

Sue Sharpe, chief executive of the PSNC from 2001 until 2017, said Andrews was “well known and widely admired across community pharmacy”, and became chair of the PSNC “at a time when community pharmacy faced the great challenge of adapting to incorporate services into its traditional function”. 

“He understood the need to use the pharmacist’s professional skills, as well as the power of data and use of technology”, she added.

“He was meticulous in his chairing of PSNC: focusing on developing and implementing strategy, meeting preparation, ensuring all members were listened to and careful reflection after meetings, with community pharmacists, the committee or with ministers — all this he combined with wit and humour. At this time, he was also using his skills in a different environment, working with a Swiss organisation, Galenica, a role which he greatly enjoyed.

“Working with Barry was stimulating, challenging and fun. Outside pharmacy, Barry’s passion was his family. He was devoted to and immensely proud of his wife Pat and their children Zoe and Leon, and grandchildren Sam, Harvey and Charlotte.”

Andrews was made a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in 1997, having joined the Society as a member in 1966.

In the 2007 Queen’s Birthday Honours, he was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to pharmacy. In a statement issued at the time, Andrews said he was “pleased and very proud to have been awarded such an honour”, adding that the award “recognises the important role that pharmacy plays within the community and the NHS, and the growing profile of community pharmacy”.