Creating Connections, Sharing Best Practice – Pharmacy Event

Focusing on Prevention in Primary Care: Cardiovascular, Renal & Diabetes Health

This is a key annual event designed to bring together pharmacy professionals from across the system to share best practice, build networks, and support professional development.

There will be sessions focused on clinical development, quality improvement, and service delivery, alongside opportunities for colleagues to learn from one another and feel connected to the wider pharmacy workforce across the region.

Our Keynote Speaker, Kevin Fernando, will be speaking on CVRM the national burden and priorities, and the role the pharmacy workforce can play and Metabolic disease.

🕘 Programme

09:00 – 09:15
Welcome, Opening Remarks & Housekeeping
Speakers: Jigar Raval & Nicola Arbon
Brief introduction to the day, aims of the event, housekeeping, and overview of how the sessions link to national priorities and local workforce development.

09:15 – 10:15
Keynote Session – Part 1
CVRM: The National Burden & Priorities, and the Role of the Pharmacy Workforce
Speaker: Dr Kevin Fernando

This session will explore the burden of cardiovascular and renal disease on both patients and the NHS. Kevin will highlight national priorities and the critical role pharmacy professionals can play in identifying risk factors, intervening early, and supporting long-term condition management. By embedding these approaches into everyday practice, pharmacy teams can help reduce NHS pressures and contribute to the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan.

10:15 – 10:30
Coffee Break & Networking
An opportunity to network with colleagues across sectors over refreshments.

10:30 – 11:30
Keynote Session – Part 2
Thinking Beyond Glycaemia: Metabolic Disease, Liver Function & Cardiometabolic Risk
Speaker: Dr Kevin Fernando

Building on Part 1, this session examines the impact of metabolic disease on patients, healthcare services, and wider population health. Kevin will explore how conditions such as diabetes – “thinking beyond glycaemia” and abnormal liver function tests contribute to cardiovascular and renal complications, and the challenges they create for the NHS. The focus will be on how pharmacy professionals can play a pivotal role in prevention, especially in terms of early identification and management of liver disease in primary care.

11:30 – 12:10
Progression Pathways for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians in Primary Care
Speakers: Jigar Raval & CPPE representative

This session will explore professional development opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians at different stages of their careers in primary care. We will outline progression pathways and career frameworks, and CPPE / HEI colleagues will showcase how their programmes and support structures can help pharmacy professionals build skills, advance their practice and shape future career directions.

12:10 – 13:00
Lunch & Networking
A chance to relax and connect with fellow attendees, speakers and exhibitors.

13:00 – 14:00
Community Pharmacy / PCN Leads Update
Speakers:  – Lou Clinton, Bushra Naheed & Jigar Raval

Community Pharmacy INT Engagement leads will host a joint session with Jigar Raval, introducing new community pharmacy/PCN leads. Together, they will explore collaborative working, shared priorities and opportunities to improve patient care across community and primary care interfaces, with a particular focus on CVRM.

14:00 – 14:30

CKD Diagnosis and Management in Primary Care
Speaker: Olivia Kanka – Principal Renal Pharmacist (Consultant Pharmacist progression post)

Olivia has been working as part of the regional CKD steering group to promote primary prevention work for the growing issue of CKD and dialysis capacity. In this session she will share updates on medicines optimisation for CKD prevention and the new pathway she has co-developed as a resource for primary care, as well as the role that the pharmacy team can play in CKD primary prevention.

14:30 – 15:00

Early Detection of CKD – Research Findings
Speaker: Jigar Raval

Jigar will share outcomes from his master’s-level research into early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). The study explores the impact of modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, HbA1c, smoking and NSAID use in CKD stages 1 and 2, and how early intervention can help slow disease progression (or not!). The session will highlight practical implications for pharmacy-led interventions in primary care.

15:00 – 15:20
Afternoon Coffee Break
Recharge and continue networking before the final sessions.

15:20 – 15:40
Best Practice in Blood Pressure Management – A QOF Perspective
Speaker: Omar (Kawsar Kamal), Deputy Manager | Lead Pharmacist | Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Blurb to be finalised with Omar:
This session will showcase practical approaches to optimising blood pressure control in primary care, aligning with QOF indicators while keeping patient-centred care at the heart of decision-making. It will highlight how pharmacy teams can drive improvement in detection, optimisation and follow-up of patients with hypertension.

15:40 – 16:20
Panel Q&A & Open Discussion

Interactive Q&A and discussion with a multi-professional panel, including representatives from the ICB, LPC, Training Hub, pharmacy technicians and advanced clinical practice. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, reflect on key messages and discuss future direction for pharmacy in CVRM and prevention.

Panel Members (provisional):

• Nicola Arbon – Training Hub Project Manager
• Jigar Raval – Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner
• Joao Costa – Advanced Clinical Practitioner
• Kim Wadsworth – Pharmacy Technician (recently completed CMMPT)
• Olivia Kanka – Principal Renal Pharmacist (credentialing for consultant role)
• ICB representative – TBC

16:20 – 16:30
Thank You & Close
Final reflections, key take-home messages and closing remarks.