General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) chair Bob Nicholls will not seek reappointment for a second term, the regulator announced today (June 5).

Mr Nicholls, who was appointed as the first GPhC chair in 2009, said he was unable to commit to another four-year term and was keen to have more time to pursue other professional and leisure interests. He would, however, continue in his role until early 2014, while the regulator seeks a replacement.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working for the council," he said. "We have an ambitious agenda for 2013-14, including rolling out a new approach to regulating and inspecting pharmacies, and I am committed to playing my part in helping to deliver that agenda."

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	Mr Nicholls previously worked as an NHS chief executive at hospital, district and regional level and served as a lay member of the General Medical Council from 1996 to 2006. Last month, the GPhC launched a campaign to recruit a chair and five other council members. Applicants have until June 14 to apply for the role of chair and until September 13 to apply for other council vacancies.

The new chair should be fully involved in the process of appointing the other council members in autumn, Mr Nicholls said. The appointments are available to a mix of registered professional and lay members and will be announced in January next year.

The GPhC has 14 members in total, split equally between pharmacy professionals and lay members. The council is responsible for setting the strategic direction and objectives for the GPhC and ensuring it has delivered on its objectives.

Find out where Mr Nicholls has appeared in C+D's 50 most influential figures in pharmacy in this week's magazine.