PRESS RELEASE WEDNESDAY 15th APRIL 2026 UKPPLAB Celebrates Launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy, Marking a New Era for Pharmacy Professional Leadership
The UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board today celebrates the landmark launch of the new Royal College of Pharmacy, and congratulates the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) on its achievements.
The launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy marks a defining moment for pharmacy, signalling the gateway to a new phase of collaborative, inclusive and effective leadership across the UK.
The setting up of the Royal College is the latest step in the journey towards the Board’s objective of establishing a sustainable and effective collaborative future model for pharmacy professional leadership in the UK.
The launch marks two years of sustained collaboration, shared vision, and collective leadership across UK pharmacy professional leadership bodies (PLBs) and specialist professional groups (SPGs) supported by the Board since its establishment in April 2024.
Bringing together PLBs, SPGs and wider stakeholders, and supported by ten Independent Expert Members, the Board has worked collectively to shape a bold and inclusive future for pharmacy which includes pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmaceutical scientists, students, trainees and wider pharmacy teams. This work has enabled organisations - many of which had not previously collaborated in this way - to unite around a shared vision and common purpose; and a widely welcomed statement and set of recommendations outlining the future direction for pharmacy professional leadership in the UK.
Subject to further consultations, all the organisations on the Board are committed to a process which would broaden Royal College membership so that it becomes, in time, a fully inclusive professional home for the whole of pharmacy in the UK.
The Board also set out five key ambitions to guide the Royal College’s future strategy:
- Co-create a unified and inclusive professional home.
- Champion excellence and ambition in education, innovation, research, and career development.
- Strengthen the collective voice of pharmacy leadership through collaboration.
- Renew relationships by enhancing engagement with members, prospective members, and wider stakeholders.
- Showcase and promote excellence in pharmacy leadership.
Sir Hugh Taylor, Independent Chair of the Board, said:
"This is a truly historic moment for pharmacy and a great achievement by the RPS. Congratulations to everyone involved. Over the past two years, we have seen professional leadership organisations unite and come together in ways that simply did not happen before - working collectively to shape a better future.
“The launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy represents not just an institutional change, but a gateway to what could and should be a new era of professional leadership that is inclusive, collaborative and ambitious for the pharmacy professions - to the benefit of the patients and communities we serve. It is a generational opportunity that has to be seized.”
In the coming months, the Board plans to publish a Concordat, setting out in detail how organisations currently represented on the Board will continue to work together as the Royal College evolves.
Quotes from PLB and SPG Board members:
Martina Aikon, President, British Pharmaceutical Students Association:
“With the Royal Pharmaceutical Society becoming a Royal College and a charity, it proposes new opportunities for student members. The new structure allows for greater mobility, widens access and reduces the gap within the professions by creating a hub for pharmacy.
“It is an exciting time for our members as we foresee the transition to a Royal College strengthening the relationship with our parent body, especially with the new student or early careers position on the Senate. This provides clearer insight and understanding of the experiences students and trainees face. This opens doors for student voices to be heard and increases representation within the profession.
“It is worth mentioning that, with the unifying approach for pharmacy related healthcare professionals the Royal College has adopted, students would have more opportunities, resources and insights within the world of pharmacy given the increased pool of information this provides.
“As the future of the profession, it is vital that we have a role in influencing the governance, policy and strategy to help the future of our learning. As an Association, we welcome the launch of the Royal College and this new direction for pharmacy professional leadership and representation.”
Professor Claire Anderson, President, Royal Pharmaceutical Society:
“As a proud member of UKPPLAB, we have always said that the establishment of the new Royal College of Pharmacy is not only a foundational change, but also the next step in the journey towards an inclusive and collaborative model of pharmacy professional leadership. Now we must all work collaboratively with our members and stakeholders to ensure they have the opportunity help shape the Royal College and deliver the future that patients and professionals deserve.”
Nicola Greenhalgh, President, College of Mental Health Pharmacy:
“The College of Mental Health Pharmacy warmly welcomes the inauguration of the Royal College of Pharmacy and would like to offer our congratulations to all of those whose drive and effort has been instrumental in getting this over the line. This historic moment strengthens professional leadership and at a time when pharmacy’s role in all areas of care, including mental health, has never been more critical.
“As the Royal College of Pharmacy evolves, there is a vital opportunity to work together, share expertise and ensure mental health pharmacy as well as pharmacy as a whole is visible, valued and influential. We look forward to working collaboratively with the Royal College and other pharmacy groups, to advance pharmacy practice, professional standards and achieve better outcomes for patients, the public and our colleagues.”
Amy Laflin, President, Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK:
“On behalf of the APTUK team, I welcome the launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy as a significant milestone for the professions. This development provides important opportunities to strengthen the future of pharmacy practice and enhance professional leadership across the sector. APTUK has supported the UKPPLAB process from its inception, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration as we consider how pharmacy technicians may be included and contribute meaningfully through true partnership to the Royal College as it evolves.”
Sheelin McKeagney, Chair, Pharmacy Forum Northern Ireland:
“We congratulate everyone at the RPS who has worked to establish the Royal College. This historic milestone strengthens pharmacy leadership, and the team should be proud of their efforts in achieving it, as well as the benefits it will bring to both pharmacists and their patients. The Pharmacy Forum is pleased to be part of this ongoing journey, ensuring that pharmacists and patients in Northern Ireland remain aligned with the changes in our ever-evolving profession.”
Dr Graham Stretch, President, Primary Care Pharmacy Association:
“The launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy provides our professions with a platform to consolidate our rightful place at the top table of healthcare professionals. The NHS 10-year health plan offers new opportunities for pharmacy in England, and it is vital all colleagues engage and support the College to make sure our collaborative, united voice is heard. Patients need to be able to access our unique expertise in all settings, enabling them to make the very best of their medicines, and ensuring they are assisted to maximise their health and well-being”
John Warburton, Chair, UK Clinical Pharmacy Association:
“The launch of the Royal College is a milestone for the future of pharmacy. This is testament to the incredibly hard work of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and is a platform for the delivery of substantial change which is needed for our professions and our patients. Closer collaboration and cohesion between pharmacy professional and specialist professional groups such as the UKCPA could bring leaps forward in education, innovation, and professional solidarity giving pharmacy significant credibility in the eyes of our patients and on the wider healthcare stage.”
Joseph Williams, Immediate Past Chair, British Oncology Pharmacy Association:
“The launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy represents a landmark moment for our professions - the culmination of years of collaboration and leadership across the UK pharmacy community. The UKPPLAB’s recently published proposals outline an ambitious, inclusive and patient‑centred vision for the future of pharmacy, rooted in co‑creation, shared purpose and a commitment to raising professional standards across every part of pharmacy practice.
“BOPA is proud to have contributed to this collective effort, ensuring the voice of cancer pharmacy is firmly embedded in shaping a new, unified professional home, and we look forward to continuing our role in strengthening collaboration, supporting workforce excellence, and championing the needs of patients and the pharmacy professionals who care for them.”
For media enquiries about the UKPPLAB: england.ukpplboard@nhs.net
