General Pharmaceutical Council Chair Gisela Abbam has been awarded an OBE for services to the Pharmacy Professions and Health in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List, announced on Friday (12), in recognition of her services to the pharmacy profession and the health sector.
Other pharmacy professionals to receive the same honour include Dr Mark Campbell Stuart, for services to the pharmacy profession in sport and anti-doping, while Professor Margaret Joan Allan, former Dean of Pharmacy at Health Education and Improvement Wales, received an MBE for services to pharmacy.
Dr David Charles Rees, former Chief Scientific Officer at Astex Pharmaceuticals, has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to chemistry and innovation.
Abbam has been the Chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) since March 2022 and was reappointed to serve a second term in February last year.
After the announcement, Abbam said, “It is a great honour to be awarded an OBE from His Majesty the King. Throughout my career, my priority has been to help improve people’s health both in Great Britain and across the world, and it is very humbling to have that work recognised.
"I am proud of the work we have delivered so far during my time as Chair of the GPhC, and excited for the work ahead to help us achieve our vision of safe and effective pharmacy care at the heart of healthier communities.”
GPhC chief executive Kathie Cashell said, “On behalf of our Council and staff at the GPhC, I would like to congratulate Gisela on receiving an OBE from the King for her services to the Pharmacy Professions and Health. This richly deserved award recognises Gisela’s exceptional contributions to pharmacy and to global health.
“As Chair of the GPhC, Gisela is an inspirational leader and advocate for our work to empower pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to deliver trusted, effective and inclusive care and to build a future where pharmacy services continue to inspire confidence, protect the public, and advance healthcare for all.”
There are 1,182 recipients in this year’s Honours List.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Across the UK, people are quietly changing lives and strengthening their communities. This Honours List is a chance to recognise them.
“Their dedication shows how lasting change is built – through compassion, resilience, and a commitment to others.
“It speaks to the decent, hopeful country we are proud to be, and on behalf of the whole nation, I want to say thank you.”
King's Honours award recipients from the NHS
Knights Bachelor
Professor Glen Warren Burley, chief executive, The Foundation Group and Deputy Chief Executive, NHS England.
For services to the NHS.
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Samantha Jane Allen, chief executive, NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
For services to the NHS.
Dominic Dodd, former chair, UCLPartners.
For services to the NHS.
Anne Eden, regional director for South East, NHS England.
For services to the NHS.
Professor Timothy Robin Orchard, chief executive, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Professor of Gastroenterology, Imperial College London.
For services to the NHS and Healthcare Research and Innovation.
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Professor David Henry Felix, former Dean of Postgraduate Dental Education and Director of Dentistry, NHS Education for Scotland.
For services to Dental Education and Clinical Training.
Karen Jane Hamilton, former chair, NHS Borders.
For services to Health and to the community in the Scottish Borders.
Professor Mohamed Wasim Hanif, clinical advisor, Diabetes UK and Professor of Diabetes and Endocrinology, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Diabetes and to Health Inequalities (Birmingham, West Midlands)
Rachel Anne Hollis, former chair, Professional Nursing Committee, Royal College of Nursing and Honorary Nurse Advisor for Children's Cancer Care, The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
For services to nursing.
Dr Niall Gerald James Keenan, divisional director for Medicine Services, West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
For services to the NHS.
Members of the Order of the British Empire
Sara Jane Barr-Frost, deputy chief Nursing and Allied Health Professionals Officer, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and lately Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals,Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to the NHS.
Professor Stephen James Brett, consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Professor of Critical Care, Imperial College London.For services to Critical Illness and Intensive Care Medicine.
Dr John Richard Buscombe, former consultant in Nuclear Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Nuclear Medicine.
Professor Dafydd Gareth Richard Evans, Emeritus Professor of Medical Genetics, University of Manchester and Consultant in Medical Genetics, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Cancer Genetics.
Corinne Ann Galletly, former Macmillan Team Lead, NHS Grampian.
For services to Nurse-led Cancer Services in Moray.
Dr Arun Kumar Gupta, consultant in Anaesthesia and NeuroCritical Care, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, director, Cambridge Digital Health and Surgical Training Centre and Affiliated Associate Professor, University of Cambridge.
For services to Medical Education.
Dr Karen Jayne Juggins, lead, Keep Stoke Smiling Dental Health Campaign and Consultant Orthodontist, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust.
For services to Dentistry.
Dr Diane Victoria Laverty, former Macmillan Nurse Consultant in Palliative and End of Life Care, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
For services to Palliative Care Nursing.
Dr Roderick Mackenzie, consultant in Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to PreHospital Emergency Medicine.
Dakshesh Harivadan Parikh, former Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Paediatric Surgery (Birmingham, West Midlands).
Alison Simpson, information manager, Ophthalmology Department, NHS Tayside.
For services to Scottish Ophthalmology.
Dr Carl Samuel Waldmann, former director, Intensive Care Unit, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to critically ill patients in the NHS.
Lucy Jane Warner, chief executive, NHS Practitioner Health Service.
For services to the NHS.
Vittoria Bucknall, consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to children and young people.
Janet Mary Cooper, former Clinical Lead, Children's Speech and Language Therapies, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Speech and Language Development for Children and Young People.
Warren John Dunkley, founder, Off the Ropes and Occupational Therapist, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Mental Health Support.
Donna Rebecca Hilton, Youth Services Manager, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
For services to Children and Young People.
Dr Katie Louise Misselbrook, Consultant Anaesthetist, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to children and young people.
Juliet Ruth Mosney, NHS and Care Volunteer Responder, Royal Voluntary Service.
For voluntary service.
Debra Jayne Padgett, Pathology Network Operational Lead and Clinical Pathology Lead, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Biomedical Science in the NHS.
Catherine Mary Repton, Founder and Trustee, The Friends of the Baby Unit, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Premature Babies and their Families.
Pundrique Radheyshyam Sharma, consultant Plastic Surgeon, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Children and Young People.
Josef Matthew Taylor, consultant surgeon, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to Children and Young People.
Roger David Mingins Walton, consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to children and young people.
Alice Louise Wintergold, consultant Clinical Scientist, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to people with disabilities.
Dr David Martin Wright, Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
For services to children and young people.
