The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7504 p673
31 May 2008

Society summary

Charter medals: Soraya Dhillon and Christine Heading

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Charter medals for 2008 have been presented to two women pharmacists who have made a mark on the profession. The Charter gold medal has been awarded to Soraya Dhillon, head of the new school of pharmacy at the University of Hertfordshire, and the silver medal has gone to Christine Heading, past president of the National Association of Women Pharmacists.

Making the presentations at a ceremony before the Society’s annual general meeting on 21 May 2008, the President, Hemant Patel, said that the medals, instituted in 1963, are awarded by the Council on the President’s recommendation. The gold medal recognises outstanding services rendered by a member to the Society or generally in promoting the interests of pharmacy. The silver medal recognises similar outstanding services rendered by a member locally or to a specific sector of the profession.

This year, said the President, he wanted to recognise two women who are shining examples to their peers. Through their professional working lives, both had striven to achieve excellence, and he was delighted that the Society was able to recognise their tremendous efforts and commitment to pharmacy in their chosen communities.

Presenting the gold medal to Professor Dhillon, the President said that among other things the award recognised her involvement in establishing collaborative links with universities and institutes across Europe and India.

Professor Dhillon had worked in research and pharmacy practice before moving into pharmacy education in 1989. Before taking up her current post she had directed postgraduate studies at several institutions.

Since the late 1980s, she had been instrumental in developing innovative, problem-based postgraduate education courses for pharmacists.

Programmes leading to a postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy and a masters degree in pharmacy practice had been undertaken by most hospital pharmacists in the South East of England and had produced many leading practitioners.

Since 2004, she had developed and established an MPharm undergraduate course at the University of Hertfordshire, which would produce its first pharmacy graduate in 2009. Already, the school had facilities and programmes at the leading edge of education practice, driven by her mission to educate the most effective professional practitioners.

She had been a health authority member since 1991 and was currently in her second term as chairman of Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust. In 2007 she was awarded an MBE and also made a fellow of the Society. Her achievements showed that she was a worthy recipient of the medal.

Professor Dhillon, in response, said that it was an honour and privilege to receive such a prestigious award. She thanked the many colleagues, across a range of sectors, who had supported her and enabled her to succeed.

Presenting the silver medal to Dr Heading, the President said that it recognised her contribution to the profession of pharmacy, supporting and leading women pharmacists and particularly her contribution to the NAWP.

Dr Heading had been a member of the profession for over 40 years and had been involved in the professional areas of pharmacy and pharmacology within industry and academia.

Since 1987, she had been a consultant and a freelancer for scientific publishers, pharmaceutical consultancy companies and pharmacy organisations.

She was president of NAWP from 2000 to 2002 and again from 2005 to 2006. She had worked hard to maintain the association’s momentum and keep issues alive. She had introduced the concept of mentoring and initiated the association’s website. She was an extremely good communicator and this, together with her tremendous enthusiasm, made her an excellent ambassador for NAWP and pharmacy as a whole.

In response, Dr Heading said that receiving the medal was an honour. She thanked her colleagues in NAWP for all their support over the years. Indeed, a hallmark of the association was the support it gave to its members, she said.