Ms Gidley was elected RPS president in July 2019, after serving as chair of the RPS English pharmacy board for four years, until June 2019. Her term as president will come to an end on June 22.

Her achievements as RPS president include her input on the creation of new roles for pharmacists in different settings and campaigning for community pharmacists to have access to patient care records. During her tenure, the Government ended the automatic criminalisation of dispensing errors.

Ms Gidley has overseen the RPS’s response to COVID-19. During her time as RPS president, she has also worked to improve the inclusion, diversity and wellbeing of the profession.

Maximum number of terms

Ms Gidley believes that an elected board member should run for a maximum number of terms and, for this reason, she has decided against seeking re-election.

“I cannot think of a better way of demonstrating my commitment to this than to stand aside myself, with the hope that new candidates will be successful in this election,” she said.

“I have had the double privilege of being both board chair of the RPS English pharmacy board and president. I have sought to serve the profession through many difficult times – none more so than the current COVID-19 crisis, which has asked a lot, in some cases far too much, of our profession.

“I leave with a sense of optimism about the future, but I do not underestimate the work that remains to make sure all sectors of pharmacy get the recognition they deserve,” Ms Gidley added.

She still works as a self-employed locum pharmacist.

RPS treasurer Andre Yeung will act as interim president from June 22 until a new one is elected at the RPS Assembly meeting on July 13, an RPS spokesperson told C+D today.