Ash Soni has been elected president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) for the second time.

Soni, a community pharmacist and clinical network lead for Lambeth clinical commissioning group, returns to the role which he previously held July 2014-July 2016.

Ash Soni said he was delighted by the outcome and that he was committed to bringing his passion for best practice to the role.

 

“As president, I will ensure I take every opportunity to promote our great profession to help people to understand why we are such an important part of integrating care. At the same time, I will promote the great value this organisation offers to all pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists," he comments on the RPS website.

“As a community pharmacist, I absolutely believe that every pharmacy must have a pharmacist present, but I would go much further than this. I believe wherever there are medicines, the profession should have a presence. In community pharmacies, hospitals, GP surgeries, universities and the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacists have a current and growing range of opportunities to have a positive impact on healthcare.

“As new roles continue to evolve we must not lose sight of enhancing the traditional roles in community and hospital pharmacy. In Scotland and Wales there is much greater recognition and a growing and developing role across the multiplicity of settings. We need to use these examples to develop practice to improve the confidence and skills of all our members so that all feel that opportunity beckons." 

 

Soni is also the current chair of the Primary Care Pharmacy Association's new Community Pharmacy Group.

David Thomson FRPharmS will remain treasurer at the RPS.