Nadia Attura
Several pharmacists and former pharmacists have been recognised in the New Year’s honours list, with four being made Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Two former chief pharmaceutical officers are among those honoured. Scotland’s former chief pharmaceutical officer Bill Scott — who retired from the role after 22 years in March 2015 — was recognised for services to healthcare. Scott is widely recognised for increasing the professional profile of pharmacists in Scotland and has promoted integrated working with doctors.
Norman Morrow, chief pharmaceutical officer for Northern Ireland for 17 years until 2013, was recognised for his contribution to pharmacy. He is currently a board member of the regulatory and quality improvement agency in Northern Ireland, a strategy development officer for the Commonwealth Pharmacists’ Association and an independent assessor for Northern Ireland’s office of the commissioner of public appointments.
David Cowan, professor of pharmaceutical toxicology and director of the drug control centre at King’s College London – which he co-founded in 1978 — was recognised for services to anti-doping science. The centre is the only world anti-doping agency accredited laboratory in the UK and played an important role in the 2012 London Olympics.
The former director of the 1,000 Lives Improvement Service in Wales, Alan Willson, who began his career as a pharmacist, was honoured for services to the quality and safety of healthcare in Wales. The service – originally launched in 2008 – sought to save an additional 1,000 patient lives in two years and prevent 50,000 NHS episodes of harm.
Another honour went to Zameer Choudrey — chief executive of the Bestway Group, which bought the Co-operative pharmacy group in 2014 — who was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contribution to the UK wholesale industry.
