Ray Fitzpatrick

Biography

I graduated from Manchester University with a first class honours degree in Pharmacy in 1974, and was awarded a PhD from Manchester University in 1978. 

I have worked as a hospital pharmacist in the NHS for 36 years of which 24 years as a chief pharmacist.  I was Director of Pharmacy at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and Senior Lecturer at Keele University from 1991-2003, during which time I was also Director of Research and Development for the Hospital.

I moved to become Clinical Director of Pharmacy at Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in February 2003.  I was also Professor of Pharmacy at Wolverhampton University from 2004 to 2014, and was instrumental in establishing the undergraduate School of Pharmacy at the University. 

In 2014 I was seconded to the Centre for Medicines optimisation at Keele University as Secondary Care Pharmaceutical advisor and Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, and I continue to work here following my retirement from the NHS in November 2015.

In 2007 I was made a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society for distinction in the Profession of Pharmacy and in 2013 I was made a Fellow of the Faculty of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. I received a lifetime achievement award from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in 2015 for innovation, leadership and outstanding contribution to pharmacy and a lifetime achievement award from Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in 2016.

Research and scholarship

Having spent over two thirds of my career as a Hospital Chief Pharmacist, I have developed a special interest in Medicines Optimisation and Pharmacy practice research, with over 100 publications in journals and book chapters and presentations at national and international conferences.  I have also acted as an advisor to NHS and government bodies on medicines management and prescribing issues.

My current research interests include:

• The uptake of biosimilars medicines in the NHS.
• Antibiotics and Clostridium Difficle
• Hospital Pharmacy workforce issues.