New chief pharmaceutical officer appointed

Dr Keith Ridge has been named as the new chief pharmaceutical officer by the Department of Health (DoH).

Dr Ridge, who is currently director of pharmacy at the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, will succeed professor Jim Smith who retired from the department at the end of August.

The DoH said that working closely with the profession and influencing policy, Dr Ridge will support the implementation of the intentions set out in the NHS Improvement Plan, and Choosing Health.

“He will drive forward work on independent pharmacist prescribing and the pharmaceutical public health strategy,” the DoH said in a statement.

It added that as part of formulating and taking forward proposals to develop the practice of pharmacy and use of medicines, he will be responsible for overseeing the work to implement the government’s response to the fourth report of the Shipman Enquiry Management of Controlled Drugs.

Of his appointment Dr Ridge said: “Over the last few years, patients have demanded change to how health services are delivered, including pharmacy. The government and the pharmacy profession have listened and are responding, putting pharmacy practitioners right at the front line of patient care.

“Prescribing of medicines by pharmacists and the new community pharmacy contract will increase access to healthcare. I intend to help make sure patients benefit from these and other initiatives.”

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