New National Clinical Director for Community Pharmacy and Primary Care

Jonathan Mason, Head of Prescribing and Pharmacy at City and Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust, has been appointed National Clinical Director for Community Pharmacy and Primary Care.

The post brings with it responsibility for delivering the Pharmacy White Paper and working collaboratively with Martin Stephens, newly appointed Hospital Pharmacy National Clinical Director.
 

Mr Stephens is Divisional Clinical Director, Diagnostics and Therapy and Associate Medical Director, Clinical Effectiveness, at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust. Looking forward to his new role Stephens said, “The Pharmacy White Paper provides a real opportunity for patients and the public to get the most out of medicines and make safer the use of medicines. Front line pharmacy teams and their leaders can make a real difference and I see my role as supporting them in doing that.”
 

Mr Mason said: “As the son of a community pharmacist and having worked for much of my career in community and primary care pharmacy, I know the valuable contribution that pharmacists make to patient care and improving the health of the public. I look forward to working with professional colleagues, patients’ champions, patients and the public across the country to help pharmacy build on its past and realise the opportunities in the White Paper.”

Phil Hope, Minister of State, said, “The pharmacy White Paper is an important part of our strategy for the future of the NHS. It recognises the potential for pharmacists to provide a wider range of services to the public, building on their existing strengths and expertise in medicines. Jonathan and Martin as National Clinical Directors for pharmacy will play a critical role in supporting the implementation of the White Paper.”

 
The target is to deliver “joint strategies and mechanisms that promote better patient experience and pharmaceutical outcomes for people across the different healthcare sectors,” he said.

As national clinical directors Mason and Stephens will also focus on promoting and stimulating the delivery of service models that best meet the needs of people going into and coming out of hospital. They will also have an important part in shaping future models of care flowing from the primary and community care strategy, Hope said.

 

Welcoming the appointments Dr Keith Ridge, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, added, “I am delighted that Jonathan and Martin will be adding their considerable clinical experience to the changes we are taking forward to community and hospital pharmacy. Their leadership will be crucial in championing the exciting new developments that are taking place in pharmaceutical services.”

 

The Pharmacy White Paper, Pharmacy in England – Building on Strengths, Delivering the Future, is moving UK pharmacy closer to the American model in which pharmacists work with patients to improve the management of long term conditions while also focusing on targeted  preventative healthcare and screening.