Alliance Healthcare is proud to announce that Mike Smith, Alliance Healthcare UK non-exec director, has been awarded Honorary Life Membership of the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA).

The prestigious accolade was announced at the 74th BPSA annual conference which took place 21 –27 March in Cardiff.

Mike Smith commented: “I am delighted to be awarded Honorary Life Membership of the BPSA. I must be the oldest student in the UK! This year’s conference was a great success. I am always impressed with the excellent and well-informed quality of the debates that take place.

“These young people, who are the future of our profession, have a very clear idea of current affairs affecting our industry – from pay cuts to new services and regulatory changes. The Pharmaceutical world is exhilarating and challenging, but can also be hugely gratifying. I look forward to continuing to support, encourage and inspire the BPSA’s talented students, who wish to embark upon a career in Pharmacy.”

Lottie Bain, current BPSA President, read out a commendation from former President Noel Wicks: “Mike Smith has given the BPSA decades of support in the form of an unwavering belief that pharmacy students will shape the pharmacy landscape of tomorrow. This has been backed up by actions that demonstrate this belief. Mike has not only been inspiring me for the past 15 years, but has motivated many hundreds, if not thousands of other young pharmacists.

Mike Smith is a Community Pharmacist based in Devon and he is passionate about independent pharmacy. He was appointed a non-executive advisor at Alliance Healthcare UK in 2002, having been a member of the Board of Directors since 1986. Mike became a fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in 2006 and has over 40 years of experience in community pharmacy.