An election will take place for a new National Pharmacy Association (NPA) board member in Scotland after Noel Wicks stepped down from his role as Scotland representative, after seven years last week.

Noel, who is the Managing Director of Right Medicine Pharmacy, which has 22 branches located throughout central Scotland, said that he left his position due to personal and business reasons.

‘It’s with sadness that due to the increasing challenges of running an expanding community pharmacy group, as well as some unanticipated changes in our family circumstances, that I have resigned from the board of the NPA,’ he explained.

‘The last few years on the board have demonstrated to me the importance of the NPA and the great work that it does.

‘It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to be a member of the board and to have the opportunity to help colleagues all over the UK. I’m looking forward to supporting my replacement in due course.’

Nitin Sodha, NPA Chair, said that Noel had helped the NPA through some big changes, commenting, ‘Naturally we are sorry to see such a great advocate from community pharmacy leaving but we thank him for his hard work and dedication.

‘Noel will carry on working on one or two NPA projects, but without the demands of being a board member.’

The NPA board sets the policy, strategic direction, and objectives for the association. Board members are expected to contribute to debate in sharing ideas and deliver fresh thinking throughout the period of their service.

In addition to NPA board meetings, board members also participate in Standing Committees and / or Working Groups of the board. The main objective is to ensure that the NPA is advancing the interests of independent community pharmacy owners, to the benefit ultimately of patients and communities.

Nominations will close at 12pm on 12th October. All Scottish members will receive the forms by the end of September.