Building the future of pharmacy together – Your College Your home Our future
Joe Irvin OBE, Chair of the Board of Trustees, shares his thoughts on the next phase of the College’s development and new transition strategy.
Our focus on education and credentialing
RCPharm President Tase Oputu reflects on a significant moment for pharmacy and the College’s focus on education, professional development and credentialing.
Enhanced curriculum and credentialing
Supporting newly qualified pharmacist prescribers to develop their prescribing practice, build professional capability and progress with confidence.
RCPharm annual conference 2026
Bringing together pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists from across the UK and beyond, this will be our first Annual Conference as the new Royal College.
For newly qualified pharmacists
This resource hub provides real-time practical support to ensure you develop the capability, confidence and professional judgement you need to prescribe safely and effectively.
Celebrating Black History Month 2026
Join us in celebrating Black History Month throughout October, to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions of Black people to British society and pharmacy.
News
The latest news and updates from Royal College of Pharmacy.
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Professor Brendan Gilmore awarded 2026 Harrison Memorial Medal
Professor Brendan Gilmore is the 2026 winner of the Royal College of Pharmacy’s Harrison Memorial Medal, awarded at its annual conference today. The honour recognises his pioneering contribution to pharmaceutical microbiology, particularly research into antimicrobial resistance and new approaches to infection control. Professor Gilmore is Deputy Head of School and Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at Queen’s University Belfast. His research has advanced understanding of bacterial biofilms — communities of bacteria that can make infections difficult to treat — and how they can be tackled. The medal is awarded every two years in memory of distinguished pharmaceutical chemist Colonel EF Harrison. It recognises pharmaceutical scientists whose work has made a significant and lasting contribution to the field. Professor Gilmore said: "I am honoured to receive the 2026 Harrison Memorial Medal and grateful to the Royal College of Pharmacy for this recognition. “Having initially trained in community pharmacy, it has been a privilege to build an academic career in pharmaceutical science, specifically in the field of pharmaceutical microbiology, and to have worked alongside so many talented colleagues and students. I am grateful to the past and current members of my research group. “I am particularly proud of the researchers I have supported and seen go on to develop their own careers in academia, industry, and in clinical pharmacy. I hope this award also recognises the importance of investing in the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists.” One of Professor Gilmore’s most recent areas of research explores the use of cold atmospheric pressure plasma as a new approach to infection control. His work has shown that short exposures can help antibiotics reach bacteria within biofilms and improve their effectiveness, including against highly resistant bacteria. The research is exploring potential applications in wound care and infections associated with orthopaedic implants. He has secured more than £20m in research funding and published more than 160 peer-reviewed papers. He is an editor of Hugo & Russell’s Pharmaceutical Microbiology, a core textbook for pharmacy and pharmaceutical science students around the world. Alongside his research, Professor Gilmore was President of the Society for Applied Microbiology from 2020 to 2023. He has also supervised around 20 postdoctoral researchers and more than 25 PhD students, with more than half of his PhD graduates going on to careers in schools of pharmacy in the UK, Ireland and the Middle East. Professor Amira Guirguis, RCPharm Chief Scientist, said: “I am delighted to congratulate Professor Brendan Gilmore on receiving the 2026 Harrison Memorial Medal. His work advancing pharmaceutical microbiology, particularly in antimicrobial resistance and infection control, demonstrates the important contribution pharmaceutical science makes to tackling major healthcare challenges. Alongside his scientific achievements, his leadership and commitment to mentoring the next generation make him a thoroughly deserving recipient of this award.” More on the Harrison Memorial Medal. Read more news stories.
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RCPharm launches new Your College Your home Our future phase at annual conference
The Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm) today launched the next phase in its transformation entitled Your College Your home Our future with the publication of its transition strategy for the next two years. In her keynote address at the College’s Annual Conference, President Tase Oputu unveiled 'Building the future of pharmacy: Our strategy 2026-2028', which sets out how we will transform and realise our ambitions to create a welcoming, supportive professional home for pharmacy. By 2028, the College aims to be more influential, visible and member focused. An organisation that is delivering increased value to our members, with a powerful voice shaping policy and system change with partners across the pharmacy landscape — and ultimately achieving greater impact. The strategy provides a two-year roadmap of how the College will modernise and develop ensuring all voices — members, patients and partners — co-design and shape the College’s long-term future. Alongside the strategy, the College has launched Your voice: Create RCPharm's future together, a major engagement programme inviting members, patients, partners and the public to help shape the College's long-term strategy. A key part of the programme is a new online Your voice portal — which has gone live today, where people can share ideas, priorities and aspirations for the future of the College. President of the Royal College of Pharmacy Tase Oputu said: "The creation of the Royal College of Pharmacy was a defining moment for our profession, but it was only the beginning. Today, we take the next step. "This strategy is about building a college that is bold, outward-looking and determined to champion pharmacy's contribution to better patient care. It sets out how we will strengthen our voice, grow our influence and support pharmacists to thrive in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.” The transition strategy focuses on four priorities: Establish the Royal College of Pharmacy — with the foundations now laid, the work begins on raising the profile of our work, strengthening pharmacy advocacy through partnerships and showcasing innovation; Become the home of pharmacy; Advance pharmacy to support excellence in patient care; Transforming member experience and engagement. The launch of the Your voice: Create RCPharm's future marks the beginning of a major listening and engagement exercise that will help shape the future of the College and pharmacy over the next decade. During 2027, RCPharm will host roadshows, events and discussions across the UK and with overseas members and partners to help shape the College's long-term strategy. Chair of the College’s Board of Trustees Joe Irvin said: “This is a strategy for transformation and achieving our ambitions. Over the next two years, we will focus on delivering increased value and greater involvement for our members while building a stronger, more influential College. “Alongside the strategy we’re starting a conversation about what comes next. Through ‘Your voice’, we're inviting members, partners, patients and the public to help shape the long-term future of the College. This is your College, your home and your future, and we want to hear your views." Read the strategy. Share your views through the Your voice portal.
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RCPharm response to the Budget
As the Government looks to grow the economy, pharmacists will be central to achieving its ambitions on health, reducing inequalities, managing the growing cost of long-term conditions and boosting patient access to healthcare. With continued pressures on public finances, it is crucial that the Government and NHS make the most of pharmacy’s potential to support prevention, including expanding vaccination services, supporting earlier detection and treatment of health conditions and tackling polypharmacy to reduce avoidable hospital admissions. Amid ongoing NHS cuts and reorganisation, strong pharmacy leadership must be retained and visible across the system. This is from commissioning through to delivery, to safeguarding quality, ensuring the best use of the NHS medicines budget and delivering on national priorities. We welcome the Government's commitment of £190 million to support winter pressures, recognising the challenges facing health services during the coming months. Community pharmacies are the most accessible part of the healthcare system and play a critical role in helping patients access timely advice, treatment and support, while easing pressure on other parts of the NHS. The Government's review of the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is a positive step. AI has the potential to improve efficiency and support patient care, but it must align with professional standards and have a clear focus on patient safety. AI should support, not replace, professional judgement. Accountability for decisions should be reinforced with meaningful human oversight. Pharmacy has much to offer in terms of preventing ill health but to realise this potential, pharmacy services need fair and sustainable funding to enable the profession to fully contribute to delivering patient care and creating a more resilient NHS. Read more news stories.
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Pharmacy expertise can help tackle corridor care, says Royal College of Pharmacy
RCPharm is calling for greater use of pharmacists’ expertise to help prevent avoidable hospital admissions, improve patient flow and reduce the medicines-related risks associated with corridor care.
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Consultant pharmacist Heather Smith receives our 2026 Barnett Award
The Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm) has named consultant pharmacist Heather Smith as this year’s winner of the Barnett Award, in recognition of her outstanding commitment to mentoring pharmacy professionals and supporting their professional development. Heather, a consultant pharmacist for older people at West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, has helped pharmacists throughout her career build their clinical expertise, confidence, research and leadership skills, while advancing medicines optimisation for older people. The Barnett Award was established in memory of esteemed Fellow Professor Nina Barnett, who died in 2023. It is awarded to Royal College of Pharmacy members who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the profession and have dedicated their careers to supporting, mentoring and advancing others. Heather Smith said: “It is an absolute honour to receive this award. Nina was so inspiring and I learnt so much from her, as did so many colleagues. Amongst other things, Nina inspired me to complete a formal coaching qualification. Coaching, mentoring and educating others, and then seeing them grow and prosper has brought me so much joy in my career. “It’s bittersweet to receive this reward as Nina is still very much missed, but we are determined to keep her legacy of developing others and person-centred medicines optimisation for older people alive.” One of Heather’s most significant achievements has been establishing a peer support group for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working across primary care, community services and care homes in Leeds. The group has been running for more than ten years, providing a forum for pharmacists to discuss complex cases, reflect on clinical decisions and learn from one another. She also helped develop a practical toolkit to enable other regions to establish similar groups. Louise Goldring, RCPharm’s Director of Education, said: “We’re delighted to present this award to Heather. She has made a real difference to pharmacists through the support and guidance she gives to others. From setting up peer support groups to mentoring pharmacists working towards consultant roles, she has helped colleagues build their confidence, develop their skills and progress in their careers.” Heather will be amongst fellow RCPharm awards and medal recipients invited to the RCPharm Annual Conference on 6 November to receive her award in person. Read more about RCPharm awards and medals. Read more news stories.
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RCPharm calls for prescription charges to be abolished following new poll
A survey from the National Pharmacy Association shows that one in ten people in England went without a medicine in the past year because of cost concerns. In response, Amandeep Doll, the Royal College of Pharmacy’s Director for England, said: “These findings are worrying and reflect what pharmacists know all too well. Every day, pharmacists are asked by patients who cannot afford all the medicines on their prescription which ones they could ‘do without’. Patients should not have to make choices which involve rationing their medicines. “Prescription charges are an unfair tax on health. They risk exacerbating health inequalities by creating financial barriers to accessing essential medicines, particularly for people on lower incomes and those managing long-term conditions. “There is no good reason why patients in England should face this barrier when prescriptions are already free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. With the Budget next week, the government has an opportunity to put an end to this outdated and complex system and abolish prescription charges in England.” Read more news stories. Read our policy on prescription charges in England.
We are the Royal College of Pharmacy, the professional leadership body for pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. We exist to advance the safe and effective use of medicines, drive excellence in patient care and support pharmacists to deliver the highest standards of practice.
As the third largest workforce in healthcare, pharmacy plays a vital role in the health system, and as experts in medicines, pharmacists and their teams are central to patient care and public health. Our mission is to put pharmacy at the forefront of patient care, advancing the safe and effective use of medicines to the benefit of patients and the public.
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