The RPS last week (November 13) announced that it has appointed Louise Goldring as its new director of education.
Her appointment to the “key leadership role” is part of “carefully planned and managed leadership changes announced in August and designed to ensure that key appointments are in place as the RPS transitions to become a royal college”, it said.
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She will lead the “development of educational strategy and programmes” to support the “development, learning and career ambitions of pharmacists in all sectors and roles to the benefit of patients and the public”, it added.
And the role will be “central” to the delivery of the new royal college’s “inaugural five-year strategy”, it said.
Goldring is currently director of learning at the Royal College of Surgeons of England where she is responsible for the education and development of “nearly 30,000 surgeons”, according to the RPS.
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She has also held the roles of head of learning and innovation, head of educational development and innovation and development advisor during a 14-year career at the college, it said.
The RPS’s new executive team will also include roles such as a director of finance and technology and director of pharmacy, while recruitment is “underway” for an inaugural chair of the trustee board of the new royal college, it added.
“Excellent foundations”
RPS chief executive Paul Bennett said that Goldring’s appointment “reflects the fact that education and learning will be at the heart of the new royal college”.
Her “expertise and leadership will be invaluable” throughout the transition to college status – which is expected to be completed by April next year – he added.
Goldring said that she is “excited” to bring her “experience and expertise to build on the excellent foundations already in place” and looks forward to “meeting and working closely with members and staff in the New Year”.
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“I am really pleased to be joining RPS at such an important time in its history,” she added.
The RPS announced a set of changes to its leadership team in August as part of its transition to royal college status, including that it will “no longer require the existing chief officer roles” outside of the chief executive position.
Meanwhile, one primary care pharmacy leader this month revealed that their trainee pharmacists “don’t really see the point” in the RPS.
