The deputy chief pharmaceutical officer for England Dr Bruce Warner has stepped down after nine years in the role having decided to retire.

Warner (pictured) worked in pharmacy for 40 years including community, hospital and academia, ran his own pharmacy for 15 years and played a key part in the GP pharmacist and independent prescribing pathfinder programmes. He was also deputy director of patient safety at the National Patient Safety Agency.

In a statement on LinkedIn, the chief pharmaceutical officer David Webb paid tribute to his achievements.

“He helped make it possible for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to work in general practices, boosting both career choices and patient access, led the cross-organisational work to manage medicines supply, advised on patient safety and provided vital expertise for our emergency responses to Covid-19, mpox and strep A,” Webb said.

The vice president of the Primary Care Pharmacy Association Helen Kilminster tweeted: “Forever the professional chair on endless virtual team calls, a voice of fair discussions and PCPA keynote speaker on so many occasions. Always encouraged me to keep doing my best in uncertainty and in a new world of healthcare.”

The PCPA thanked Warner for his “exemplary work for our profession” and said he had been “instrumental in the step change we have seen bringing pharmacy expertise to patients in general practice.”