Outgoing National Pharmacy Association chief executive Mark Lyonette has been appointed to a health and social care committee expert panel which will scrutinise the government’s commitment to pharmacy services in England.

Lyonette, who this month said he will retire next year, is one of six members of the panel to be chaired by Dame Jane Dacre, professor of medical education at University College London, which will evaluate nine commitments from Number 10 across five areas; community pharmacy, integrated care, hospital pharmacy, education, training and pharmacy workforce and extended services.

The panel’s findings, which will be articulated by ‘inadequate’ to ‘outstanding’ ratings similar to those used by the Care Quality Commission, will support the work of the Health and Social Care Committee whose chair Steve Brine has promised to hold an inquiry into community pharmacy this year. 

“This is all about holding the government to account on its commitments. Mark’s appointment to the panel means that there will be expert insight into the commitments relating to community pharmacy,” an NPA spokesperson said.

Professor Dacre said the panel, which will hear from pharmacy staff and other independent providers of pharmacy services, will also examine government pledges on the education and training of the workforce.

“The role of pharmacy in delivering care whether in hospital, the community or primary care has never been more important. The government has made a number of commitments aimed at improving pharmacy services and we’ll be looking at the progress to achieve these targets,” she said.

Picture: Mark Lyonette addresses the Independent Pharmacy Awards two years ago.