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General Pharmaceutical Council appoints Director of Policy and Communications

15 June 2010

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has announced the appointment of Hugh Simpson as Director of Policy and Communications for the new regulator. In his role as Director of Policy and Communications, Hugh will report to Chief Executive and Registrar, Duncan Rudkin, and will be a member of the GPhC’s executive team.

Hugh will join the GPhC in early September and will be charged with developing and implementing strategies and tactics to support both the GPhC’s business plan and its stated intention of being a fair, transparent and proportionate regulator.
Hugh has considerable policy and communications experience. He currently leads a team of twelve at the NHS Confederation, where as Deputy Director of Communications he is responsible for leading the NHS Confederation’s day to day communications activities including media, public affairs and external relations.

Prior to the NHS Confederation he worked in a variety of policy and communications roles in healthcare, as well as in commercial and political organisations. Previous roles include time spent at the General Medical Council, where he led the GMC’s engagement around the development of professional regulation policy. At the GMC, Hugh also acted as convenor of the Alliance of UK Health Regulators on Europe, an umbrella organisation leading efforts to ensure that European policy on free movement of health professionals between EEA countries takes proper account of both of patient safety, and of professional standards, concerns.

Duncan Rudkin, GPhC Chief Executive and Registrar said: “This is a great appointment for the GPhC. Hugh has wide experience, of public policy, of both the regulation of healthcare professionals and the wider system of regulation, combined with appreciation and understanding of communications as a core function. With his excellent network and strong credentials I’m confident he will be a great asset to the GPhC and to its executive team, both immediately as we launch, and subsequently as we continue to build the GPhC as a modern flexible regulator which efficiently and effectively assures the safety, health and wellbeing of everyone who uses pharmacy services.”

“I am delighted to be joining the GPhC in this important role,” added Hugh. “I am very much looking forward to helping establish a new regulator and to engaging with the professions which will be vital if the GPhC will really be able to have at its heart, the interest of patients and public. Because it is a new regulator the GPhC has a unique opportunity to lead the field in the creation and delivery of modern professional regulation. Policy and Communications will play an important role in establishing that leadership.”

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