NHS Confederation launches new Community Pharmacy Leaders Forum

The NHS Confederation is stepping up its support for primary care, with the launch of a new Community Pharmacy Leaders Forum.

The organisation, which represents the whole of the health and care sector across England Wales and Northern Ireland, is inviting expressions of interest to join the new forum which will equip and enable leaders to influence system-level decisions and neighbourhood health models, and to foster a culture of collaboration.

The forum is an addition to the support, representation and advocacy the NHS Confederation offers community pharmacy members through its primary care network.

Ruth Rankine, director of primary care and neighbourhood lead at the NHS Confederation, said: “Community pharmacy is one of the most accessible and trusted first points of contact in primary and community care, but systemic challenges continue to hinder its full potential. 

“For community pharmacy to thrive, it must be more deeply integrated into primary care, neighbourhood teams, and broader system-level models. We’re launching the forum to support that transformation.”

The Forum will be chaired by Amit Patel, chief executive of Community Pharmacy South West London, and will seek to:

• Influence national policy and advocacy, ensuring community pharmacy leaders have a strong voice in implementation of Neighbourhood Health.
• Provide leadership development and peer support to strengthen influence at neighbourhood and system levels.
• Align community pharmacy with system transformation efforts, ensuring its role is embedded within evolving models of care.

Membership is open to community pharmacy leaders (clinical and non-clinical), both NHS Confederation members and non-members. Non-members organisations will be required to join the NHS Confederation by 1 April 2026 to continue their participation in the forum.

To find out more and express your interest, email primarycare@nhsconfed.org