Swann appoints four non-executive members to Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland

Health Minister Robin Swann, has appointed four non-executive members to the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Scott Gill, currently the lead pharmacist in Ards Federation of GP practices has been appointed as a Registrant Member and Gary McMurray, Brendan Garland and Philip Knox as Lay Members. All four appointments commenced on 1 August 2021 and will end on a date not later than 31 July 2025. 

Gill, graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2007 and registered as a pharmacist in 2008 after completing his pre-registration training. Gill started his career in Community Pharmacy holding management positions in Scotland and throughout Northern Ireland. 

In 2016 he completed a PGCert in Independent Prescribing and started treating patients in GP Practices. 

Non-Executive Members of the Council are remunerated by an attendance fee. Attendance at meetings up to 4 hours duration attracts a fee of £118 and meetings over 4 hours £235. Training and induction days attract a fee of £118.

The Non-Executive Member role carries a time commitment of 6 Council meetings per year and, in addition to other meeting commitments, equates to approximately 6-8 working days per annum.   

The procedure for these appointments is not bound by the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland, however the appointment process was carried out in the ‘spirit of the Code’.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland was established by the Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Northern Ireland) 1925, and has been based at 73 University Street, Belfast since 1933. It is the regulatory and professional leadership body for pharmacists in Northern Ireland. 

Objectives of the Society include, amongst other matters, to advance chemistry and pharmacy and promote pharmaceutical education and the application of pharmaceutical knowledge, while safeguarding the interests of the members in the Society.

It maintains a register of over 2,800 pharmacists, 140 pre-registration trainees and over 550 pharmacy premises across the country.

The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland comprises of 14 non-executive members (7 registered persons and 7 lay members).