The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) announced three new awards - the Daniel Thomas Award, the OPERA Award and the Barnett Award - at its annual
conference on Friday.
RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said each award recognises "exceptional contributions to the pharmacy field."
The Daniel Thomas Award recognises pharmacists or pharmaceutical scientists who died while actively practising in the profession.
It is named after Daniel Thomas, a pharmacist who died during the First World War in 1917 while serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps.
The Outstanding Pharmacy Early-Career Researcher Award or OPERA Award recognises the achievements of early-career researchers within the pharmacy field.
Sustainability also brings financial benefits to businesses. This has been proven by Prabjaudt Singh Channa, Director of Priory Pharmacy.
Prabjaudt is a proud winner of the Sustainable Pharmacy of the Year 2023, awarded by Pharmacy Business in association with Teva UK. Prabjaudt thanked the award
organisers for acknowledging the importance of sustainability within the sector and for recognising his modest endeavours to reduce environmental impact and
safeguard future generations.
"I just felt really happy and proud of this recognition because originally when I set myself down on this path, I didn't really think anyone would be that bothered
about the small changes that we were trying to make and the impact," says Prabjaudt.
In addition to his family's background in the field, his passion for chemistry also drove him to pursue a career in pharmacy. He finds being a pharmacy contractor
enjoyable because it allows him to be flexible, pursue various interests and shape his professional path.
Recognising her remarkable contribution in the profession of pharmacy, Christine Gilmour, the Director of Pharmacy at NHS Lanarkshire, has been designated
as a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).
Christine, who joined NHS Lanarkshire as trust chief pharmacist for University Hospital Hairmyres and Stonehouse in 1994. She has been in her current role as
Director of Pharmacy for 17 years now.
Considered to be one of the highest accolades in the domain of pharmacy, this fellowship recognises the distinction of an RPS member in the pharmacy career.
NHS Lanarkshire executive medical director, Dr Chris Deighan commented: "We are extremely proud of Christine. This is a fantastic achievement and recognises
all the hard work, dedication and expertise Christine has displayed across her career."
Three leading pharmacists - professor Mahendra Patel, Asif Aziz and Ade Williams - have been recognised in Queen Elizabeth's annual New Year's honours list.
Professor Patel, an academic pharmacist from West Yorkshire, was awarded an OBE for his "services to pharmacy." He told Pharmacy Business: "I am truly honoured and deeply humbled by this highly prestigious award that I have always believed was more deserving for others.
"That's not to say I'm not proud of it - far from it, although for me it's not necessarily about rewards and recognition but more the intricacies of the journey I embark on and the learning and joy that those encounters bring with it.
Most recently, Professor Patel - who has had a broad ranging portfolio career spanning community pharmacy, health education and health promotion, academia, and research - has been involved in promoting clinical trials across community pharmacies in the UK.
His latest work has seen him act as one of the national leads for the PRINCIPLE and PANORAMIC trials, run by Oxford University - both trials seek to pioneer repurposed and new drug treatments in the community to prevent hospitalisation due to Covid-19.