The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society NI has today (Monday 10 February 2025) announced the appointment of Mr Canice Ward as Chief Executive.
Canice, a registered pharmacist for almost 20 years, will join the Society on a two-year secondment from the Department of Health for Northern Ireland. He will take up the role of Chief Executive on Monday 3 March 2025.
President of the Council, Dr Geraldine O’Hare said:
“I am delighted with this appointment. Canice has considerable experience and expertise in pharmacy across Northern Ireland and beyond. I am confident that his knowledge of the pharmacy profession, his strategic vision and wide-ranging connections across the sector will prove invaluable as the Society strives to become a modern fit for purpose regulator.”
After qualifying as a pharmacist, Canice worked in a number of managerial roles within community pharmacy before joining the Department of Health in Northern Ireland as a Pharmacy Inspector in 2013. In 2018, he became Head of the Medicines Regulatory Group at the Department of Health, with overall responsibility for key aspects of medicines control in Northern Ireland, including the monitoring of the production, import/export, possession, supply and administration of medicines and controlled drugs.
Canice also assists with pharmacy education both pre and post registration. He lectures at Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster on pharmacy legislation and related topics. He has also worked with the Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development to provide continuous professional development opportunities to pharmacists and contributes to the Foundation Year programme. Previously he assisted with the delivery of Pharmacy Technician courses provided by one of Northern Ireland’s Regional Colleges.
The Society welcomes this new appointment and looks forward to working with Canice going forward.