Katie Maddock is new chair of Pharmacy Schools Council

The Pharmacy Schools Council (PhSC) has elected Professor Katie Maddock as the organisation’s new chair.

Prior to becoming head of school at Keele University, Professor Maddock had been MPharm course director and associate dean for education for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, responsible for developing the clinical teaching at Keele.

Before joining Keele University, she taught clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice at Aston University. Her research interests lie in pharmacy education, particularly the use of technology in teaching, clinical therapeutics, augmented reality simulation and interprofessional education. She was also awarded a principal fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in November 2020.

Having worked in hospital pharmacy, Professor Maddock is acutely aware of the pressures that Covid-19 has placed on healthcare, as well as the importance of retaining and building upon the positive changes to patient care and pharmacy practice that were developed in response to the pandemic.

Responding to the announcement that Prof. Maddock has become the new chair of the Pharmacy Schools Council, Professor Claire Anderson, RPS president, said: “We warmly welcome Professor Maddock’s appointment. Prof. Maddock is eminently qualified for the position, with a distinguished background in pharmacy education, in addition to experience of life on the frontline, having worked in pharmacy practice in secondary care.

“I know Prof. Maddock has a close understanding of the challenges and pressures pharmacists face, but also of the profession’s value and importance to the NHS and beyond.

“Pharmacy has a key role to play in tackling major challenges, from NHS capacity constraints to health inequalities. I look forward to working with Prof. Maddock and my RPS Assembly colleague Prof. Ruth Edwards to ensure continued high quality pharmacy education and training, and to advance the profession.”