RPS elections 2024: Martin Astbury
English Pharmacy Board candidate
My job continues to be as a pharmacist working at the coal face looking after my patients and the community we serve. Additionally, I’ve held senior roles within the profession which means I am equally confident when speaking to ministers or driving through the members views at board level.
If I had not used my experience to fight for pharmacists over the last few years then ‘pharmacies without pharmacists’ would probably now be a reality.
Plans are in train to change the regulations on supervision. There are those out there who are pushing strongly for pharmacies without pharmacists and ‘pharmacy only’ medicines sales supervised by non-pharmacists. I’ve stopped them in the past and am ready to carry on the fight.
Until recently I had been a charity trustee for a number of pharmacy-related charities for over 20 years.