Simon Dukes will be stepping down as CEO of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) in the autumn after over three years at the negotiating body.  

Mr Dukes, who joined the PSNC as CEO in 2018, will remain in post until the end of September to continue working on the agreements for year three of the five-year deal.   

Mr Dukes announced he would be stepping down from the role now so that the new CEO would be able to ‘fully’ engage with the changes that will soon emerge from the independent review that happened earlier this year. 

‘I wish nothing but success for PSNC, hard-working community pharmacists and their teams and the wider sector,’ he said.  

During his time at PSNC, Mr Dukes has settled a Covid-19 costs agreement for the pharmacy sector as well as initiating the independent review of both PSNC and the LPCs. 

Earlier on during his employment, Mr Dukes led the negotiations for the current five-year Contractual Framework deal.  

Commenting on Mr Dukes’s departure, PSNC chair Sue Killen said: ‘I would like to thank Simon for all that he has done, and is continuing to do, for community pharmacy.  

‘We will shortly be commencing a rigorous selection programme to find Simon’s replacement.  

‘This is a demanding but hugely rewarding role, balancing the extensive stakeholder engagement work needed to support the sector, with the tactical side of the negotiations, and of course, leading a small and incredibly busy team doing complex but vital work,’ she said.  

She added: ‘It also offers the chance to be part of a transformational change programme across community pharmacy. Alongside this recruitment process, the Committee and PSNC’s Negotiating Team are continuing to work closely with Simon to ensure that PSNC’s work, including the CPCF negotiations, continue apace.’ 

Malcolm Harrison, CEO of the Company Chemists' Association (CCA), said: 'Simon has achieved much during his three years at the helm of PSNC and shown a real commitment to community pharmacy. I and everyone at the CCA wish him all the very best for the future.

'Simon’s departure leaves Sue Killen and the PSNC committee with some very big shoes to fill. I look forward to working alongside the new CEO of PSNC as we continue to collaboratively pursue a sustainable future for the sector'