In an insightful dialogue, Nick Kaye, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and a pivotal figure in community pharmacy across the UK, shares his perspectives on the integral role of pharmacists, the evolving landscape of the profession, and his advice for emerging professionals.

Nick opened our discussions with a heartfelt insight into the value he believes the NPA brings to pharmacists and the organisation’s commitment to representing its members through an elected board.

He also shared how the NPA can bridge the gap between small pharmacies and influential policy-making circles. “I think the thing that’s really important about the NPA is that actually what it does is it takes people like me, who own small pharmacies, to reach a position where our voices are heard at the highest level of government.”

As the NPA Chair, Nick is committed to recognising and ensuring pharmacists are compensated for their essential contributions to community health.

He envisions a future where pharmacies across England are robust and financially stable, drawing on best practices from across the UK. “So, my priorities as chair are making sure that pharmacists get rewarded for the things that they do,” he states, underlining the vital community role of pharmacies.

Offering advice to pharmacy students and new professionals, Nick conveys a message of optimism:

“There’s never been a more exciting time to be a pharmacist.”

He encourages them to seek advice, utilise available resources, and embrace the profession’s opportunities.

Nick’s reflections provide an overview of the pharmacy sector. His advocacy and leadership underscore the dynamic nature of community pharmacy in the UK, inspiring both current and future generations of pharmacists to engage with the challenges and rewards of their profession.

Date of preparation: April 2024 UK-Gen-NP-01414

About Nick Kaye

Nick Kaye BPharm MRPharmS is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (Reg No 2047799).

He is a third-generation community pharmacist; he graduated from Bradford University in 1998, and trained as a pre-registration student in a family run community pharmacy and at St James University Hospital Leeds. Since qualifying, he has worked for an independent pharmacy, as a locum and prescribing advisory for the Newquay doctors group. Nick was the Superintendent Pharmacist of Nick Kaye’s Pharmacy in Newquay in Cornwall between 2011 and 2017. During that time the pharmacy won several awards including, C&D finalist 2013, Pharmacy Business award winner Entrepreneur 2012 and Alphega pharmacy of the year 2013. Nick is an NPA national media spokesperson and was also involved in the Key Note Speaker’s Panel at the Pharmacy Show 2013.

He was elected to the NPA Board in 2014 to represent the South West; he is a member of Cornwall and Isle of Scilly LPC and the Chair of the Peninsula LPF. He is also a partner at Veor Surgery in Cambourne, Cornwall.