Pharmacy research: Policy and leadership perspectives
Pharmacy Research Showcase highlights
Research as part of every pharmacy career
Research should be part of the routine work for every pharmacist and pharmacy technician, not a specialist bolt-on. That was the shared message from the two opening speakers at the Pharmacy Research Showcase. Julia Chackathayil, Research Policy Manager at the Department of Health and Social Care, set out the national policy picture. David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England and Co-Lead of the Pharmacy Research Advisory Group, then announced the launch of the new UK Pharmacy Research Strategy.
The policy view: no global leadership without pharmacy
Julia Chackathayil linked pharmacy research to two national plans. The 10-Year Health Plan puts research and innovation at the heart of service delivery and commits to three shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. The Life Sciences Sector Plan focuses on economic growth, faster clinical trials, quicker adoption of innovation and keeping the UK attractive to investors.
Pharmacy, she argued, connects both. Each of the three shifts raises research questions about what works and how change is implemented. Pharmacy professionals work across primary care, community services, mental health and social care, so they are well placed to lead the studies that answer such questions.
She pointed to the UK Clinical Research Delivery Programme, which aims to streamline trial set-up, deliver the right research in the right settings and manage research portfolios more proactively. Its real goal is faster patient access to new treatments. “The UK cannot be a global leader in clinical research without a research-active pharmacy workforce,” she said, citing pharmacy’s role in meeting the 150-day trial set-up target and in reaching underserved communities.
She highlighted the Research Workforce Update for England, published by her team in July. It aims for research to be seen as core business. At minimum, every member of staff should be research aware, and those who want more should have routes in through academic pathways, portfolio study delivery or service improvement. She also noted the annual investment of around £1.8 billion and career schemes of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). These include the Associate PI scheme and the Senior Research Leaders Programme, which this year ran its first dedicated cohort for pharmacy professionals. She closed by asking members of the audience to tell her about the barriers they face in setting up trials.
The professional view: a new UK pharmacy research strategy
David Webb described research as “the triumph of data over drama”, adding that intuition is a poor substitute for insight. The new strategy builds on a 2022 workforce survey and a 2024 report on clinical academic careers. It is hosted by NHS England and backed by all four UK chief pharmaceutical officers.
The problem it tackles is clear. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are under-represented among those leading and delivering research, despite their role in medicines optimisation, patient safety and innovation. This limits the evidence base for the whole system. The strategy sets out four goals:
- Skills, confidence and leadership, starting small with audit and improvement work.
- Support systems and structures, including funding, time, mentoring and infrastructure.
- A research-positive culture, where research is expected, valued and celebrated.
- Digital and technological innovation, enabling teams to use modern data tools well.
He stressed equity: research opportunity should not depend on where you live, work or which nation you are in.
What comes next
Both speakers ended with a call to action. Dr Webb called the strategy “just the start” and said it will depend on collaboration between employers, educators, regulators and the professions. Everyone has a part to play, he said, whether by mentoring, joining a study or backing a research-positive culture in their own team.
Pharmacy Research Showcase
The Pharmacy Research Showcase was a one-day event organised by the NIHR-Supported Incubator for Pharmacy Professionals which brought together policy-makers and researchers to share experiences and insights. It was held on 22nd October 2026 at the Royal College of Pharmacy headquarters in London.
Image: David Webb
