THORRUN GOVIND has been elected as chair of the English Pharmacy Board (EPB), becoming the youngest official to hold the position since the Royal Pharmaceutical Society shed its regulatory function to become the new professional leadership body in 2010. She is 28 years old.
Govind also becomes the second female of colour as EPB chair, after Shilpa Gohil was elected to the position in 2012.
A delighted Govind on June 22 told Pharmacy Business that it was “an honour to serve” the membership body and the wider profession. “I’m going to be chairing an inclusive, communicative and strategic board that engages with stakeholders and puts pharmacy at the heart of everything we do.”
She said she would look to connect better with members and non-members and ensure their views are being listened to and called on young pharmacists to take up leadership roles.
“I feel that it is important for younger members of the profession to know that age is not a barrier to leadership. We can all show leadership in our own individual way. I firmly believe that we are all ambassadors for the profession.”
Asked what her immediate priorities were, Govind – who won the ‘Young Pharmacist of the Year’ award in 2018 – said she would use her communications and media experience "to connect better with the members and non-members and to ensure that their views are being listened too."
Martin Astbury is elected as vice-chair of the board. Claire Anderson, Sibby Buckle, Tase Oputu and Alisdair Jones will be the EPB’s representatives to the RPS Assembly.
For the Welsh Pharmacy Board, Cheryl Way has been elected as Board chair, with Ruth Mitchell elected as both vice-chair and the representative to the Assembly.
Andrew Carruthers has been elected as the chair of the Scottish Pharmacy Board, and Kathleen Cowle will become both vice-chair and the representative to the Assembly.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event