“We are incredibly proud of what we have helped the association to achieve”, they said in a joint statement published on APTUK’s website last week (December 10).

Ms Fidler and Ms Williams said they made “the difficult decision not to stand for another term of office”, as “new leadership is critical to ensure organisations remain reflective of the members they serve”.

The pair will stay as president and vice president until February 28 next year but will “provide a robust handover and induction” to their replacements and “continue to be active and committed APTUK members”, they wrote.

Ms Fidler and Ms Williams “will hand over the chain of office” at APTUK’s membership business meeting and 70th anniversary awards dinner in April 2022, they said, adding that recruitment and election processes “will be communicated to members soon”.

“Raising the profile of pharmacy technicians”

Ms Fidler and Ms Williams fulfilled their roles on a voluntary basis, which, “can be difficult to sustain for a long period of time”, they wrote.

The pair will leave the association at a time when “membership is at its highest”, they said.

In their three years as president and vice president, Ms Fidler and Ms Williams lead an equality, diversity and inclusion programme and co-chaired a plan for inclusive pharmacy practice.

They also engaged in work concerning “supervision, registration, and initial education and training standards” and reviewed APTUK's impact on the environment to identify “areas for change and improvement”.

“We are honoured to have served the professional leadership body”, they wrote, “particularly throughout the challenges faced by a global pandemic”.