The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7197 p663
11 May 2002

Society summary

New secretary of Society's Welsh Executive will take up post in June

A new secretary has been appointed for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Welsh Executive.

She is Catherine O'Brien, MRPharmS, who is joining the Society from her current post as area manager for the Co-op group of pharmacies in South Wales, where she is also a member of Bro Taf Health Authority locality steering group for Central Cardiff. She will be in post full time by the end of June.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms O'Brien said that she is looking forward to the challenge of supporting the profession and raising the political profile of pharmacy in Wales. She said: "There are around 100,000 visits to a community pharmacy in Wales every day for the purposes of health gain. However, pharmacists could make a much greater contribution to primary health services in Wales — particularly in medicines management. For instance, we know that as many as 50 per cent of patients with chronic conditions use their medicines ineffectively. Pharmacists are able to help — and it is our remit to work towards these professional services being available as common practice throughout Wales."

Welcoming the appointment, the chairman of the executive, Andrea Robinson, said: "The pharmacy profession has a unique contribution to make to improving the health of the people of Wales. At the moment, pharmacy is a much under-used resource in the primary health service mix in Wales. With Catherine's support we will be able to help realise the potential of the profession in Wales."

Ms O'Brien succeeds Erica Barrie, who resigned from the role of secretary to the executive last autumn. For the past few months, the executive has had an interim secretary, Colin Hitchings, acting on a part-time basis.

Ms O'Brien will be assisted in her work by Lisa L'homme, who was recently appointed as personal assistant to the secretary of the Welsh Executive.