Henry Gregg begins role as NPA chief executive

New National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive, Henry Gregg, officially started in his new role on Tuesday (27).

Gregg replaces Paul Rees who left the NPA at the beginning of the year to take up a similar role at the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

“I am excited to be joining the NPA at a pivotal time for community pharmacy. I’m looking forward to working with the NPA team, building strong links with government so we can deliver the support pharmacies so desperately need and the bigger role they can undoubtedly play in everyone’s health,” said Gregg.

“I want to focus on fighting for pharmacies and raising the profile of their amazing work, but also making sure the NPA is offering the best possible service and support for a network upon which so many people rely. I can’t wait to meet the team and start meeting NPA members across the UK.”

Gregg was previously the director of external affairs at Asthma + Lung UK where he led their campaign to ban cigarettes for everyone born after 2009 and smoking outside hospitals, playgrounds and schools, and also pushed for respiratory vaccines and management of lung conditions in community pharmacies.

He also worked at the Health Foundation, lobbying government to invest in the NHS, and held senior roles at the London Boroughs of Newham and Barking and Dagenham, where he was Director of Strategy and Culture. He led member relations at the National Housing Federation, where he supported the housing sector in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.

“It is great that Henry is now with us, to help take the NPA to the next level in terms of support for our members and the wider sector. I’m certain he will also be a compelling voice for independent community pharmacy, following his years of successful campaigning in the health and housing sectors,” said the chair of the NPA, Olivier Picard.

“These are exciting times at the NPA. Our membership is growing, a new Board has been formed and now our new chief executive will help modernise and steer the association into our next phase at the heart of community pharmacy across the UK.”