Courtesy of Graeme Richardson
The new president of the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) has set out his key priorities going forward.
Graeme Richardson, who took up his new role at the end of June, replacing immediate past president Vilma Gilis, said he wants the guild to focus on providing meaningful feedback into the pharmacist revalidation process, continue to work with other colleagues in Europe on the common training framework for pharmacists in light of Brexit, help the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists with its hospital pharmacy standards project and continue to participate in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society hospital pharmacist group.
He said: “I look forward to supporting our members through the many challenges on the horizon, such as Brexit, the Falsified Medicines Directive and working terms and conditions. I also look forward to working with other pharmacy bodies to advance pharmacy practice.”
Richardson first joined the GHP council in June 2004 as a regional member for the northern region and was elected as GHP chair of practice in 2010, before becoming vice-president in 2015.
Richardson has been a hospital pharmacist for 27 years, who held a number of senior posts at various NHS foundation trusts. He was head of pharmacy North Tyneside General Hospital from 2003–2006, deputy chief pharmacist/head of clinical pharmacy for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust from 2006–2010 and deputy chief pharmacist/head of operation pharmacy services from 2010–2012.
He has been chief pharmacist at South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, a joint acute and community trust at South Tyneside District Hospital since 2012.
The GHP is part of the health sector of the union Unite. It represents approximately 4,500 pharmacists across the UK, most of whom are pharmacists working in the hospital or managed sector (e.g. clinical commissioning groups).
