Our governing Council

The aim of our Council is to make sure we fulfil our statutory role to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of the public. This helps to uphold standards in the pharmacy sector and build trust.

The Council is responsible for making sure we are managed effectively and efficiently. It operates separately from the Executive. This means the governing body can challenge us to improve the way we run so we achieve better outcomes for patients and the public.

Good governance is at the heart of what we do. Find out more about our approach to governance.

Council membership

Our Council members are drawn from the widest possible talent pools, bringing with them a diversity of life experiences, ideas and perspectives, to inform our discussions and decisions.

Seven of our 14 Council members are pharmacists or pharmacy technicians, and seven are ‘lay members’, who have never been registered health professionals.

All Council members are appointed by the Privy Council and are required to act independently from the government, professionals and all other interest groups.

Current members of our governing Council

Aamer Safdar

Aamer is an experienced hospital pharmacist who has mainly worked at one of the largest hospitals in England, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. His career in the NHS spans over 25 years and he has been involved with pharmacy education and...

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Adeyemi (Ade) Williams MBE

Ade is Superintendent Pharmacist and Director of the M J Williams Pharmacy, lead Pharmacist at the Bedminster Pharmacy, Bristol and an independent prescriber. Ade holds a number of Non-Executive and Trustee roles in healthcare, community and...

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Chair - Gisela Abbam

Gisela is a Global Executive who has a wealth of experience in delivering change in the health and life sciences sector, both in the UK and globally including through her Executive roles at General Electric Healthcare and Abt Associates. She has a...

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Dr Rima Makarem

Rima initially trained as a scientist before going on to hold senior roles within the global pharmaceutical sector. She has built up a broad non-executive track record over recent years, including significant work locally, regionally and nationally...

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Elizabeth Mailey

Elizabeth has been registered as a pharmacist since 1984 and has worked in many different environments within healthcare. These include the Pharmaceutical and Medical Diagnostics industries, Management Consultancy, Public Relations, Government...

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Gareth Powell

Gareth lives and works in Wales and has held roles in the private, public and voluntary sectors, including as Chief Operating Officer of BBC Cymru Wales from 2008 until 2023. He is a Chartered Accountant and currently serves as a Non-Executive...

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Jayne Salt

Jayne graduated from Leeds University with a degree in French that involved living and working in France for a year. She then trained as a lawyer and was admitted as a Solicitor in 1984. Jayne’s first few years were spent in private practice in...

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Neil Buckley

Neil has a number of non-executive appointments. He is chair of the Regulation Board of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and a lay board member of the Valuation Tribunal Service. Prior to pursuing a plural career, Neil was Chief Executive of...

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Penny Mee-Bishop

Penny has extensive experience working as a pharmacy technician in both the NHS and private sector, and has held Chief or Lead Pharmacy Technician roles at several NHS Trusts. She is currently Principal Pharmacy Technician for Operational Service at...

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Professor Ann Jacklin

Ann is currently Associate Director, Digital Data, and Information for the, NHS England sponsored, National Wound Care Strategy Programme. Ann is also vice chair and trustee of Ealing and Hounslow Community Volunteer Service. In 2015, she was...

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Professor Dianne Ford

Dianne is the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Northumbria University, which comprises the departments of Applied Sciences, Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Psychology, Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, and Social...

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Rose Marie Parr

Rose Marie Parr was the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland from 2015 until October 2020. She was previously chair of the Scottish Pharmacy Board of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) and chair of the GPhC’s Board of...

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Selina Ullah

Selina has over 25 years of non-executive board experience. Selina is chair of a NHS hospital trust, board member of Locala Community Partnerships CIC, non-executive director of Accent Group and chair of various charities. Selina has experience in...

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Yousaf Ahmad

Yousaf Ahmad is currently the Director of Medicines Optimisation and Integrated Care System (ICS) Chief Pharmacist at Frimley ICS. Yousaf has extensive experience within secondary care, having worked primarily in large acute health boards in Scotland...

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