Courtesy, Sandra Gidley
Sandra Gidley, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), has announced that she will not seek re-election to the RPS English Pharmacy Board (EPB) during the 2021 elections.
Gidley has been RPS president since July 2019, having previously chaired the EPB from June 2015 to 2019.
In a statement published on 7 April 2021, Gidley said that while she “could think of so many reasons to continue” in post, she was a “strong supporter of a maximum number of terms for an elected board member” and “cannot think of a better way of demonstrating my commitment to this than to stand aside myself, with the hope that new candidates will be successful in this election”.
Gidley said she was leaving with a “sense of optimism about the future”, but that she does not “underestimate the work that remains to make sure all sectors of pharmacy get the recognition they deserve”.
She said she had been “extremely proud” to serve as president, adding that standing down would give her the opportunity to “recharge my batteries and think about how I can contribute to the profession in the future.
“Thank you to those who have supported me — and to those of you seeking election, I wish you all the very best of luck.”
