The PSNC has outlined its plan to bring in a replacement for Mark Burdon after his resignation as the North-East and Cumbria regional representative on the negotiator’s committee.

A representative of independent contractors will be drawn from six LPCs - Community Pharmacy County Durham, Community Pharmacy Cumbria, Gateshead & South Tyneside LPC, North of Tyne LPC, Sunderland LPC and Tees LPC, followed by a possible vote to select the new person. The PSNC said it will release more details on the process shortly.

Whoever takes up the role will be in the post until March 31 next year and the PSNC also said it is looking for a new chair of the committee’s resource development and finance subcommittee.

Burdon, who was a PSNC member for 16 years, said his time at the negotiator was “both challenging and hugely enjoyable” but insisted he had always planned to leave PSNC at the end of his current term this year.

“With the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic now over, a new chief executive in post at PSNC, and the Review Steering Group concluding its work, the time is still right for me to stand down,” he said.

“I wish everyone at PSNC the very best and I will look forward to supporting the new regional representative for our area in any way that I can. I will be continuing in my RSG and LPC roles.”

PSNC CEO Janet Morrison said it was important to get the right person in the role because of the part its regional representatives “play in bringing the voice of independent contractors to the heart of all PSNC work and decision-making.”

Paying tribute to Burdon, she said he had "worked tirelessly to represent the independent contractors in his region."

“Mark has been an enthusiastic contributor to many important PSNC workstreams, subcommittees and working groups, including chairing our resource, development and finance subcommittee and leading on many of our wider and international sector relationships," Morrison said.

“He has also been a familiar face across parliament and in the national media, advocating widely for all that community pharmacy has to offer. We wish him all the best for the future.”