But first, I wanted to reflect on an incredible time with the National Pharmacy Association (NPA).
When I joined the association, there was a perception among contractors that the organisation could be more visible in its fight to secure a fair deal for the sector.
The NPA board agreed and asked me to work with the team to come up with a new campaign strategy.
In the early part of 2024, we brought in a new Communications and Marketing department, headed up by former national journalist Ben Russell.
Working closely with our policy team, led by Gareth Jones, the new communications team helped us sharpen up our message and our approach to shaping the narrative.
In May, we decided to re-awaken the cross-sector Save Our Pharmacies campaign, which had been lying dormant.
We issued posters, stickers and petition sheets to pharmacy teams – and called on contractors to take part in the first ever day of action in community pharmacy on 20 June.
We were bowled over when around 6,000 pharmacies took part, turning out the lights, blacking out the windows, and asking their staff to wear black.
The day was a huge success. Our campaign was backed by the Lib Dems – and many MPs and candidates, such as the Speaker of the House Sir Lyndsay Hoyle, posted on social media in support of the campaign.
Penning an exclusive article for C+D, the then Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting endorsed the day of action retrospectively, saying that, given the funding crisis, it was no wonder that contractors had chosen to turn out the lights.
Read more: Pharmacies to ‘turn out the lights’ on June 20 in ‘emergency’ protest
Then, on 19 September, we held a second day of action – and announced we were going to ballot members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on withdrawing some services.
The second day of action again had mass participation of pharmacy teams and even more importantly achieved huge media cut through, being one of the biggest news stories of the day.
Our Chair Nick Kaye was on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, BBC Breakfast News, ITV News and Channel 5 News. Our Vice Chair Olivier Picard was on ITV News and BBC national news. And I was on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Channel 4 News, Channel 5 News and BBC1’s The One Show.
On the same day, in the spirit of unity, Nick and I led a cross-sector delegation – including CPE, the CCA and CPNI – to deliver the Save Our Pharmacies petition to Number 10 Downing Street.
On 14 November, we announced the results of our ballot, with an amazing 63.5% of our membership taking part.
It was one of the highest turnouts in a trade association ballot ever.
Participation in the ballot was widespread across different size members, with an incredible 81.8 % of independent multiples, those with 10 or more branches, taking part.
The strength of the ‘yes’ votes in favour of taking action – with measures such as reducing to core hours – was incredible, with most responses being in the high 90 percentage points.
Read more: NPA CEO Paul Rees talks ballots and bargaining power
We were the lead story on BBC1 Breakfast News and Virgin Radio, third top story on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and fourth top story on the BBC news website and BBC news app.
We were also on ITV News, ITV’s Good Morning Britain, BBC1 national news, Radio 5 Live, Radio 1, BBC News Channel and Channel 5 News – with our board members Nick Kaye, Olivier Picard and Ashley Cohen doing a number of major interviews.
It was one of the biggest single media stories highlighting the funding crisis in community pharmacy in living memory.
We know this coverage has had a massive impact with ministers. We regularly meet with MPs and they tell us that our campaign has changed the terms of the debate within government about community pharmacy – and say we should carry on.
Read more: NPA gives DH ‘time to digest’ results of 99% ‘Yes’ collective action ballot
When Wes Streeting did a BBC interview during the Labour conference, he was asked what his top priorities were and he said ‘fixing community pharmacy’ was one of them. When was the last time the Health Secretary talked about our sector during a governing party conference.
A friend of mine who works for the Department of Health told me, when I was recently invited to a ministerial reception hosted by Wes Streeting, at the Science Museum, that the current ministerial team talks more about pharmacy than any other in recent years.
Of course, a new deal for the current financial year still hasn’t been put to the sector – which is desperately disappointing, with so many contractors hanging on by their fingertips.
However, our campaign has put the issue of the funding crisis on the political agenda and into the national consciousness.
Read more: NPA protest ballot: Government ‘committed to working with sector’
So, why would I leave the NPA at this time?
Well, I’ve loved my time working with the brilliant NPA board and staff team – and helping the organisation modernise and become a high-profile fighting force campaigning for a fair deal for community pharmacy.
But sometimes you simply get an opportunity you can’t ignore. While it’s a real wrench, the pull of working as NMC Interim Chief Executive and Registrar, on a 12-month contract, and helping it eliminate racism and bullying from within the organisation, embed a positive and inclusive culture, and improve patient care through the regulation of, and support for, the UK’s nurses, midwives and nursing associates is just too great.
As I move to another part of the healthcare sector, I know that I will always carry a torch for community pharmacy.
And I know the NPA will continue its fight for the sector long after I’ve gone.
Paul Rees is chief executive at the National Pharmacy Association