L-R: John Clark (CPNI chairman), Dr Terry Maguire (UCA committee member), Gerard Greene (CPNI chief executive), Paul Cooper (CPNI board director) and Cliff McElhinney (UCA president)

Community Pharmacy NI, the body which represents contractors in Northern Ireland, is merging with the Ulster Chemists Association with effect from May 10.

The coming together of the two pharmacy bodies followed a Special General Meeting at which CPNI members voted in favour of the alliance, resulting in UCA-NI Ltd, the new name for the Ulster Chemists Association, becoming a subsidiary of CPNI. The CPNI board will expand to accommodate the four former UCA Executive members.

John Clark, chairman of Community Pharmacy NI commented: “This is a positive move for community pharmacy in Northern Ireland and I would like to thank the CPNI and UCA representatives involved in delivering on this union. Since 1901, the UCA has played a valued role in representing the needs of its members. Moving forward we will see UCA-NI Ltd continue in this remit, with the new organisation embodying all the main functions UCA.

“There is no question that in recent months community pharmacy has experienced particularly turbulent times and the challenges ahead are still very real.

"Working together the two organisations can only strengthen the professional voice of community pharmacy ensuring that we are in a stronger position to lead and support contractors to tackle these challenges.”