GPhC appoints new Chair of Appointments Committee

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has announced the appointment of Elisabeth Davies as Chair of the Appointments Committee, for an initial four-year term, with effect from 1 August 2017. 

The Appointments Committee is responsible for the selection and recruitment of statutory committee members. Elizabeth Filkin CBE, who has served as Chair of the GPhC’s Appointments Committee since its inception in September 2010, will retire from the role on 31 July 2017, when her second and final term of office expires.

Elisabeth Davies's career, combining professional and voluntary commitments, has centred on consumer engagement and a deep-seated belief in developing services that are truly consumer-focused. She has worked across the charitable and public sectors with a particular focus on the needs of health and social care users. She is the Senior Independent Director on the Board of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and Chair of the Patient and Carer Network at the Royal College of Physicians. She is also a member of the Nominations Committee of Carers UK and the former Deputy Chief Executive of Arthritis Care. 
 
Within the NHS, Elisabeth has combined executive and non-executive roles. She was Head of Policy, Planning and Partnerships at the National Patient Safety Agency.  Non-Executive roles include former Deputy Chair of Wandsworth Primary Care Trust and South West London Community NHS Trust.
 
Elisabeth is also the former Chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel. She has worked across the advice giving sector. She was previously Director of Policy and Development at the Refugee Council and is a former Trustee of the Immigration Advisory Service. She is currently a Nominations Committee member and Trustee of the Personal Support Unit which supports people going through the court process without legal representation.

Commenting on the appointment Nigel Clarke, Chair of the GPhC, said:

“I would like to congratulate Elisabeth on her appointment. She brings a wealth of experience to the role and I very much look forward to working with her. 

“The work done by the Appointments Committee is an important part of the GPhC’s regulatory framework and I am sure Elisabeth will make a vital contribution through chairing the Committee.”

“On behalf of Council, I would also like to express my thanks to Elizabeth Filkin for her excellent work in chairing the committee since its inception in 2010; I am grateful for the leadership, integrity and insight she has brought to the role.”