The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has found a head for its policy support unit. She is Ms Eileen Neilson, who is currently health policy adviser at the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
Ms Neilson has a first degree in human sciences and an MSc degree in medical sociology. Before joining the UKCC, she was a consultant in health and social care for eight years. She also lectured in health policy at the South Bank university business school from 1994 to 1996. She was a non-executive director of a mental health provider in Camden from 1994 to 1999, and was its chairman from 1995-97.
Ms Neilson takes up her new post on January 1, 2000. Her role will be to lead policy formulation and development across a range of health and social issues. She will be expected to prepare and secure top level agreement to policy statements, and to monitor, analyse and advise on external influences affecting the Society.
The policy support unit was set up last year as part of the Society's new ways of working. While it has been searching for a head, the Society has retained Mr Marcus Longley (associate director, Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care) and Professor David Taylor (health policy consultant) on a part-time basis as special advisers responsible for the effective delivery of the unit's functions.