The Pharmacy Show 2024 Press Release

On the 13-14 October, the NEC Birmingham once again played host to thousands of community pharmacy professionals from across the country as they gathered to network, learn, and share ideas at The Pharmacy Show.  

Across two engaging days, the show brought together over 8,700 pharmacy professionals from across community pharmacy, general practice and integrated care systems, including 347 exhibitors and 221 speakers. 

 

‘It feels like the whole sector is here…This is the main event of the year.’ 

Paul Rees, Chief Executive Officer, National Pharmacy Association (NPA) 

‘You get to see everyone here’ 

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, Chief Executive Officer, Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) 

‘There's nothing like it in terms of the energy’ 

Liz Fidler, Senior Professional Lead – Pharmacy Technician Practice, NHS England 

‘This is the premier event for the pharmacy sector… this is the place where you really need to be.’ 

Phil Galt, Managing Director, Cegedim Healthcare Solutions  

A heartfelt thank you 

As the annual meeting for community pharmacy professionals, the show’s atmosphere was electric. We want to extend a special thank you to every person who attended and contributed. The energy and collaborative spirit around the venue was inspiring. 

Reflecting on an amazing two days at the show, Garry Tyson, Event Director of The Pharmacy Show shared his thanks to everyone involved: 

‘Thank you to everyone who was part of The Pharmacy Show 2024. Speaking to visitors, exhibitors, partners, speakers, and sponsors – the show was the best ever by all accounts. We promise to make it even better in 2025 and will continue to unite our profession and sector. A special thank you to my amazing team this year, whose hard work paid off. I look forward to hearing the success stories from the show and seeing our sector move forward into 2025!’ 

 

What they loved about the show 

The Pharmacy Show is THE place to be for community pharmacy professionals, but don’t just take our word for it – here’s what our speakers and exhibitors had to say… 

 

An unmissable networking opportunity 

Speaker at the show David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England for NHS England shared his thoughts on the importance of the show as a meeting point for the sector: 

‘It's a really brilliant opportunity to engage with so many people – different backgrounds, different professions – pharmacists, pharmacy technicians…just to break through some of that barrier that often exists…There's only so much you can do through social media. Actually meeting people face to face, it's a tremendous opportunity to hear about good things, share good things, and understand the kind of working lives that people are having at the moment.’ 

This was a sentiment echoed by Simon Tebbutt, Director of Membership for the National Pharmacy Association: 

‘Pharmacy itself, as we know, is split across many different parts of the sector. So actually bringing everybody into one room, learning from best practice, being able to make connections – both with people working in the pharmacy or working with partners – it's a way for everybody to be able to get together. And those connections will really help us drive forward and improve access for patients ultimately longer term.’ 

 

Education Content 

Beyond the bustling exhibition floor, the range of expert-led talks offered a wealth of knowledge on emerging trends and innovative practices, as emphasised by Gursaran Singh Matharu, Chief Executive Officer for Community Pharmacy South East London: 

‘The Pharmacy Show provides a fantastic opportunity to see how the boundaries of innovation are being pushed in community pharmacy.’ 

Liz Fidler, Senior Professional Lead – Pharmacy Technician Practice for NHS England highlighted the programme’s strength and relevance in the changing landscape of community pharmacy: 

‘The educational content – which I think year on year just excels in terms of the subject matter –really emphasises where community pharmacy has its place in broader healthcare reform.’  

Likewise, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, Chief Executive Officer for Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA), believed that talks held at the show were vital for the sector moving forward: 

‘What I want to see is that people take on board some of these talks and think about the future of the sector and prosperity of community pharmacy…that's why the Pharmacy Show is good, because you've got that networking side of things mixed with educational side of things.’  

 

Exhibitor exposure 

The show provided an unparalleled opportunity for exhibitors to connect with new and existing customers, while showcasing themselves as industry leaders. Saam Ali, CEO for Pharmacy Mentor couldn’t have said it better: 

‘It is the ultimate pharmacy show in the industry. So many amazing exhibitors here and great exposure for your business…I would say to those umming and ahhing about exhibiting next year, just go for it…You can see the amount of leads that you get and the quality conversations that you have. Go for it!’ 

 

Get ready for The Pharmacy Show 2025! 

The Pharmacy Show will return to the NEC Birmingham on 12-13 October 2025, with even more opportunities to explore the latest sector updates and find answers to your everyday challenges.  

Don’t miss the chance to attend the most dynamic and engaging event for community pharmacists in the UK.  

To get involved in next year’s event, register your interest now: https://www.thepharmacyshow.co.uk/register-interest-2025/ 

In the words of Nicola Stockmann, President for Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK):  

‘It wouldn't be October without it.’