The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has awarded a pharmacy organisation boss with one of its most revered awards.

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) chief executive Catherine Duggan has received the RPS Charter Award for “her outstanding leadership, global impact and unwavering commitment to advancing the pharmacy profession worldwide”.

Duggan said she’s “truly honoured and humbled” to receive the award and “delighted” to be recognised along with previous recipients who have given an “exceptional and sustained contribution to pharmacy”.

Read more: ‘It means so much to me’: RPS president receives FIP Award

“I regard this as a huge recognition of work I have always been proud and privileged to do for my profession,” she said.

RPS chief executive Paul Bennett said Duggan has made an “extraordinary” contribution to pharmacy for over 20 years and is an “inspiring ambassador for our profession”.

“Her visionary leadership, dedication to advancing global practice and ability to bring people and professions together have had an enduring impact both in the UK and internationally,” he added.

Immunisation

FIP is a global body for pharmacy that works with 160 national organisations, and Duggan became its chief executive in 2018.

She has made a global impact in supporting pharmacists’ roles in vaccination, with immunisation access improving under her leadership as 56 countries now have pharmacy-based vaccination services, up from 34 in 2020.

Duggan also launched the FIP Development Goals which aligns pharmacy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2020.

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She also champions female pharmacists and supports women’s needs through the FIP Women in Science and Education (FIPWiSE) initiative set up in the same year.

The RPS said she oversaw “major organisational reform” and has improved FIP’s partnerships with the World Health Organisation and UNESCO.

It added that she also expanded the organisation’s digital engagement to strengthen its revenue to help offset membership fee increases.

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Duggan previously held other senior roles, including with the RPS, as its professional development and support director between 2010 to 2018.

She also served as United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA) chair and has worked across academia, hospital, primary care and community sectors.

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The RPS Charter Award was introduced in 1963 as a medal for those who promoted pharmacy “at an outstanding level” before the medal changed to the Charter Award in 2011.

Duggan received her award last night at the RPS annual general meeting.

It comes as the RPS has appointed a director of pharmacy as part of its transition to the Royal College of Pharmacy.