Bradford professor takes place on national board
A University of Bradford honorary graduate and Honorary Visiting Lecturer has been appointed onto a national pharmacy board.
Professor Mahendra Patel OBE has become a member of the UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board.
The 21-member board will represent all pharmacy and cancer pharmacy professionals across the UK. It has been set up by the Department of Health and Social Care as an independent public body.
The board aims to set up collaboration between pharmacy professional leadership bodies and specialist professional groups. This work is aimed at supporting the work of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, so they can meet any potential future challenges in the industry.
Professor Patel, pictured, who was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Bradford in July 2023, said: “This board is the first of its kind. It will bring the whole pharmacy profession together.
“It is huge. This could be part of a new era for pharmacy. It is something exciting and revolutionary for the pharmacy profession.
“Those people coming into the pharmacy profession will see a professional body that they can be proud of and help to move forward and advance in practice."
The board appointment is the latest high-profile role for Professor Patel. In 2010, he became a founding member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, following the splitting of the previous embodiment of the society, and later became its elected national board and assembly member, as well as treasurer.
Professor Patel was given an OBE in the 2021 New Year’s Honours for services to pharmacy.