Alex MacKinnon FRPharmS, Director for Scotland, has announced his retirement.
Alex has been Director for Scotland since 2010 and served as interim CEO of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society during 2017. He will be retiring in the middle of 2020.
Commenting on his decision to retire, Alex said:
“It has been a distinct privilege being able to fulfil my role as RPS Director for Scotland for what will have been almost a decade. I have enjoyed a long and wonderful career in pharmacy, so many great colleagues and friends along the way, so many opportunities and challenges to have been involved in.
My decision to retire has not been an easy one to make, with the pharmacy agenda as complex and challenging as ever. The professional body needs to be at the forefront of enabling the profession and its membership to maximise the opportunities that still and always will present themselves in the future. However, it really is time for me to retire and I am looking forward to having more time with family, lots of hobbies and of course motorsport! I now look forward to supporting my professional body through the Fellows’ group and the retired pharmacists’ group.
Finally, a huge thank you to all the wonderful teams, colleagues, and friends across the years who made my pharmacy journey so enjoyable and rewarding.”
RPS Chief Executive Paul Bennett said:
“I would like to recognise and thank Alex for the tremendous contribution he has made to both the RPS and the wider profession over the last ten years as RPS Director for Scotland.
His dedication to, and passion for, our profession has been evident from the very first day I met Alex and will be sorely missed by all of us who have worked closely with him. I would particularly like to pay tribute to his advocacy for the profession at numerous Scottish Parliament engagements, never losing sight that RPS members are at the very centre of the organisation and making their wellbeing and professional advancement his prime concern.
Alex will leave a strong legacy in Scotland whilst knowing he departs at a time when his team are focussed on supporting our members and placing our profession at the forefront of healthcare.”
Aileen Bryson MRPharmS, Deputy Director for Scotland, has also announced that she will also be retiring from RPS at the end of April 2020.
Aileen says, “Pharmacy has given me the gift of a wonderful and varied career. I have enjoyed all the roles I have had across many sectors of pharmacy practice and worked with many colleagues who have inspired me with their vision and passion for the profession.
“It has been a delight and a privilege to be part of the RPS team over the past nine years and to have worked across Scotland and GB. I started in this role because I firmly believe we need a strong professional body as a voice for pharmacists wherever they are practicing and that we still have so much to contribute and offer to healthcare.
“We have come a long way already and there is still so much to do but the future is looking very optimistic for those starting their careers, but I am now looking forward to more time for home and personal life. I wish all my colleagues all the very best and thank everyone for all the support and encouragement I have had over the years and for making work an absolute pleasure with a lot of fun along the way.”
Both Alex and Aileen have been instrumental in developing all sectors of pharmacy practice across Scotland.