Ms Perkins has been the multiple’s superintendent pharmacist – under both its Co-operative Pharmacy and Well guises – since 2005, having joined the company as a business development manager in 2000.

Though she will be leaving her role at Well, she will continue as chair of the Community Pharmacy Patient Safety Group until August. She has also recently been appointed chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s community pharmacy expert advisory group.

Ms Perkins told C+D she is “looking forward to using my skills to help others with the things I’m most passionate about – patient safety, professional standards, inclusion and diversity and professional wellbeing and development”.

“Like many people, I’ve taken the opportunity to reflect on my role and what’s important to me as a professional,” Ms Perkins said. “It’s been a privilege to be the pharmacy superintendent of the third largest multiple and I’m incredibly proud of what my team and the business, through our amazing pharmacy colleagues, have achieved during my time at Well.”

Well Pharmacy CEO Seb Hobbs said he “cannot thank Janice enough for her commitment, passion and hard work”, adding that her “dedication to community pharmacy is unmatched and everyone at Well will be sad to see her go”.

Handing over the role

Ms Perkins’ successor has been a Well employee for over a decade, most recently becoming deputy superintendent in August last year. In the past 18 months, Mr Khan has helped coordinate the multiple’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including drafting risk assessments and policies to protect staff and patients.

Ms Perkins told C+D she had been handing over to Mr Khan “for a number of months” and was “confident” he will be able to lead the business.

Mr Khan described working as part of Ms Perkins’ team as “an honour”, adding that he was “thrilled to step up as the new pharmacy superintendent”.

“Over the next few years, we have a unique opportunity to build a seamless experience across our digital and community pharmacies to deliver better patient outcomes and continue to take pressure off the NHS – I am confident we have the right plans in place to build the best pharmacy experience in the UK,” he commented.

As well as his role at Well, Mr Khan is also vice-chair and governance lead for Greater Manchester’s local pharmaceutical committee and is a member of the pharmacy provider board and primary care provider board at the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.

Mr Hobbs said: “I am delighted we are recognising [Mr Khan’s] hard work and outstanding leadership with this promotion.”

Earlier this month, Well Pharmacy announced that its operations director Nigel Swift was leaving the muliple to join the Phoenix Group as assistant CEO UK.