Q&A Webinar: The Evolving NHS – An ICS Chief Pharmacist’s Perspective

What does the evolving NHS landscape look like through the eyes of a Chief Pharmacist, and how are integrated care system (ICS) pharmacy teams responding?

In this Petauri Evidence NHS Whispers session, first broadcast live on Friday 24th October, we put your questions to Yousaf Ahmad (Chief Pharmacist and Director of Medicines Optimisation, Frimley ICS), as he shared how he and his colleagues are responding to the changing NHS environment. From system pressures and financial constraints to prescribing priorities and service redesign, Yousaf explored how ICS pharmacy teams are adapting, and what this means for industry partners.

He was interviewed by Charlotte Harding (Consultant – Market Access, Petauri Evidence) in a focused, interactive conversation designed to surface real-world insights and practical implications for engagement.

The webinar recording will be released shortly. For more information please email evidence@petauri.com. 

This session was shaped by your questions, but here’s a snapshot of the themes we explored:

• How Chief Pharmacists are interpreting NHS restructuring and financial constraints, and what this means for medicines optimisation
• The evolving role of ICS pharmacy leadership in shaping prescribing, pricing, and access
• Perspectives on confidential pricing arrangements in primary care and implications for industry
• Pharmacist views on the Single National Formulary and its potential impact on prescribing
• What pharmacy leaders need to succeed, and how industry can help enable that success

About our guest speaker

Yousaf Ahmad (Chief Pharmacist and Director of Medicines Optimisation, Frimley ICS)

Yousaf is an experienced pharmacy leader with over 20 years in NHS and international healthcare systems. He leads medicines optimisation strategy across Frimley ICS and has worked in senior roles within acute care settings in Scotland and the Middle East. He has represented pharmacy nationally through committee roles with the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), and as an adviser to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Yousaf also sits on the governing council of the General Pharmaceutical Council, overseeing the regulation of pharmacy professionals and premises across the UK. He is passionate about workforce transformation, innovation in practice, and improving patient care through strategic pharmacy leadership. Alongside his NHS role, he contributes to national policy, academic research, and digital health initiatives, and regularly presents at conferences on pharmacy practice and system-wide change.