In News

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

On Saturday 9th February 2019, at the APTUK Professional Committee, Tess Fenn formally handed over the Presidency of APTUK to Liz Fidler.  The event was marked by a presentation led by Tess, during which Liz received the Associations chain of office.

Tess said €I am delighted to handover the APTUK President 'Chain of Office' to Liz Filder, as I know she has the commitment, expertise and passion to take our leadership body forwards at this crucial time in our association's history. I have every faith that her ability to put her own time in the perspective of history, building on our resilience and strong foundations, will support her future vision and provide the courage for guiding the Board in making effective strategic decisions. I wish Liz, Ellen as Vice President, the Board and the Professional Committee every success for the future€.

€Before I handover, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who is now on the professional committee, and those who served during my Presidency, for their tremendous work and dedication for all they do for our members and our profession. Without you all, there would not be an APTUK. I would like to give my upmost regard and thanks to the Board who give so much of their time in ensuring the success of APTUK. It has been my absolute pleasure, and a humbling experience, to have served as your President. I will miss you terribly but I have some wonderful friendships and memories to take away with me. I will continue to offer my enduring support, where I can, in the past president role and as a member€.

€Liz, I present the chain of office to you as our new APTUK President. Wear it with pride and courage. Many many congratulations. Our new President: Liz Fidler€

Responding to her appointment as President and addressing the National Officers, Liz said €I am honoured to take up the post of President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK.  This is a time of unprecedented change for the NHS and healthcare provision more widely, and with change comes opportunity. I strongly believe in the need for a leadership body that proudly represents champions and supports the professional development of pharmacy technicians. I pledge to lead the profession and increase our network so that we can promote the practice and advancement of pharmacy technicians.

A key ambition for the Association and me personally, is to ensure that membership continues to grow and evolve to reflect the current and future roles of our profession.

I believe that the Association is at a critical time in terms of its sustainability; the transition from a membership organisation to a professional leadership body has strong foundations laid by previous Presidents and Boards. My vision is to build on this and focus on key priorities to utilise the expertise of professional committee members. Engaging with members to ensure that the priorities align with their wishes is essential and I will work with others to deliver on this.

Pharmacy Technicians are integral to the health and care workforce, supporting safe and effective patient care. I look forward to working with key partners to ensure that the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK is positioned to advocate the contribution and unique skill set of pharmacy technicians€.

Outgoing President, Tess said €it has been a humbling experience and absolute honour to have served and represented our pharmacy technician profession as your leader, the President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK, for the last 5years. Being part of APTUK over the last 20 years, in my previous roles as Branch Secretary, Education Officer and Vice President, as well as my President role has provided me with a wealth of experiences and has bought me into contact with so many amazing, stimulating and inspiring people.

When I took up my Presidency in 2014, APTUK had just become a Limited by Guarantee Company 'Not for Profit' and a number of challenges were to modernise and implement quality management systems into the running of the organisation; to raise APTUKs profile with members, non-members and our stakeholders; increase the number of members; reach pharmacy technicians working in the community and support the evolution of pharmacy technicians from an occupation status to that of a profession.

All of these challenges are to a certain extent ongoing, however I believe that APTUK has grown its professional leadership status and is on an upward journey steadily attracting and increasing membership of pharmacy technicians from all sectors. We now have more than double the membership than in 2014 and saw a 16% growth in membership last year alone.

Through the dedication and conscientious work of the voluntary Board of Directors, the Professional Committee of National Officers and our local Branches, pharmacy technicians are recognising the value of belonging to their leadership body; they are displaying professionalism and more are becoming advocates for their own profession. I hope that this is testament to my Presidency and that I have made a difference.

I offer my personal congratulations, and every success for the future, to our new President and Vice President and give my continuing and enduring support to them, the Board and to APTUK members. I look forward to seeing APTUK go from strength to strength, realising the goals laid out in the strategy for the next 3 years and watching that 'LEAP' into the future.

I would like to thank everyone, the APTUK teams, members and colleagues from the wider profession, for all the support I have been given over the years. My last words are to say I remain a steadfast advocate and am immensely proud of APTUK, our achievements and our Pharmacy Technician profession. You are truly tremendous healthcare professionals and I wish you every success for your role, delivering quality pharmacy services to patients, today, tomorrow and into the future€.

The Vice President elect, Ellen Williams also took up office from 9th February.  In response to her appointment Ellen said, €I am honoured and excited to take up the post of Vice President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK.

Throughout my career I have championed the important role that pharmacy technicians have to play in the Medicines Optimisation and the wider healthcare agenda. I believe that our Professional Leadership Body has a vital role in raising the profile of the profession and ensuring that the knowledge, skills and potential of this workforce are recognised and fully utilised across all sectors of pharmacy.

I am passionate about the education, training and development of the whole pharmacy workforce. This is an exciting time for pharmacy, with the role that pharmacy professionals play in primary care, General Practice, Care Homes, Urgent and Emergency Services etc. becoming more widely recognised, encouraged and funded. Consequently the demands on the workforce are ever increasing and I believe that the only way to meet that need is to ensure that all members of the pharmacy team are trained to the highest standard and enabled to work at the top of their licence. Together we can then deliver safe and effective services for patients in an ever changing NHS.

I pledge to support the President, Board and Professional Committee in meeting this agenda and supporting the members of APTUK. I am keen to see growth in the engagement and membership of APTUK to ensure that we can effectively represent the voice of the profession and to explore new opportunities of working with key partners to further develop the role of our Professional Leadership Body€.