Celebrating our pharmacists this World Pharmacists Day
Every year, World Pharmacists Day is a chance to shine a light on the vital role pharmacists play in keeping our communities healthy.
This year, we’re proud to celebrate the Brent Health Matters (BHM) pharmacy team. Their work helps reduce health inequalities in Brent by reaching people who often face barriers to care, including those living with learning disabilities.
The team recently won the HSJ Patient Safety Award 2025: Learning Disabilities Initiative of the Year for their project ‘The role of pharmacists in supporting the Triple Aim Framework for individuals with learning disabilities’.
The project focuses on supporting people living with both a learning disability and type 2 diabetes. The team carries out diabetes health checks and structured medication reviews in people’s homes to make sure their diabetes is controlled and medicines are safe, effective and clearly explained.
This approach goes beyond medicines alone. The pharmacists also look at the wider factors that affect health, such as housing, access to services, diet, and lifestyle. By working with the wider multidisciplinary team, other healthcare professionals in primary care and social care providers, they help patients take charge of their health and improve quality of life.
Nilam Kalyan, Specialist Health Inequalities Pharmacist, said: "Our role as pharmacists in this area is quite niche, which makes it especially rewarding: having the chance to support patients in their own homes and witness the progress and positive changes is a real privilege. By engaging directly with patients and their families, we can truly see how person-centred and empowering care transforms experiences and outcomes. We hope this recognition not only highlights the unique impact pharmacists can have, but also inspires our community to see the value of truly inclusive care for people affected by health inequalities."
Winning the award has been a milestone, but for the team the real reward is the impact they see every day. By building trust, spending time, and focusing on what matters to each patient, they are making long-term changes that help people live healthier, safer lives. This joined-up way of working brings together pharmacists, GPs, community nurses, social care, and voluntary groups, helping people to stay well for longer, treating problems early, and keeping them out of hospital wherever possible. This focus on prevention reflects the NHS 10 Year Plan’s aim to move care from sickness to health, and from hospital to community.
As we celebrate World Pharmacists Day, we thank pharmacists across all of our services in London and Hertfordshire.
