National Pharmacy Association vice chair Jay Badenhorst is leaving the trade body to take up the newly created role of director of pharmacy at the Pharmacists’ Defence Association, it has been announced.

Mr Badenhorst, who last November addressed the parliamentary health select committee on the challenges faced by pharmacy contractors, joins from his roles as vice-chair with the trade body and as manging director with Whitworth Chemists, which last year announced plans to sell off its entire estate. 

The PDA said it had created the new role “in response to its growing membership and the increasing need to influence the evolving healthcare landscape,” with PDA chair Mark Koziol commenting that the appointment “shows that we are totally committed to making a beneficial and dynamic difference to the lives of pharmacists”.

Mr Koziol added: “Jay comes to the PDA as a senior level, proven and award-winning pharmacy leader. He is well known and familiar with the workings of the NHS, government and the pharmacy political landscape.”

Mr Badenhorst said: “My decision to join the PDA as the new director of pharmacy is a commitment to being at the forefront of positive change within the pharmacy profession.

“The PDA represents pharmacists in all areas of practice across the UK and has the majority of pharmacists in its membership. I am delighted to be joining an organisation that has so much vision, ambition and drive at a time when pharmacists have so many opportunities to develop their roles for the benefit of patients.”

NPA chair Nick Kaye said: “We are sad that Kay is leaving the board after several years of distinguished service, including a period as vice chair during which he provided skilled and thoughtful leadership and been a great help to me personally in my role as chair.”

Newdays Pharmacies owner Olivier Picard takes over from Mr Badenhorst as NPA vice chair with immediate effect.

The NPA has also announced the appointment of O’Brien’s Chemists Ltd director Aisling O’Brien to its board following an election in the North of England area.

Ms O’Brien will bring “bags of relevant experience and a passion for community pharmacy” to the role, said Mr Kaye. Three out of 15 board positions are now filled by women, the NPA said.