Here for you with dedicated support and advice for pharmacies in all parts of England
Supporting pharmacies in England
Advocacy, business support and clinical advice for pharmacies at a pivotal time for the health service in England
Dedicated to pharmacy in England
Our team are here for you. Craig Cavener leads on our service in England with Alison Bonfield and Lucy Whelan. The wider NPA teams are part of all the key conversations with policymakers, government and experts in the country. From funding and advocacy to safety and training, we have events, advice, and partnership - tailored for the needs of pharmacies across England.
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Craig Cavener
Interim Head of Membership
Craig joined the NPA in 2017 and now as Interim Head of Membership at the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), Craig leads national engagement and retention strategies, aligning them with the organisation’s strategic goals. He manages a large team across member services and relationship management, driving operational excellence and high-quality service delivery.
With over 30 years’ experience in business development, account management, sales and customer service across B2B, retail, and membership sectors, Craig is recognised for identifying growth opportunities, leading change, and building strong relationships
Alison Bonfield
Relationship Manager
Alison joined the NPA in 2014, bringing with her a wealth of experience in business development, marketing, account management, and strategic partnerships. As a former owner and Director of an SME, she has a first-hand understanding of the real-world pressures, rewards, and complexities of running a business. Alison supports independent pharmacies by helping them navigate both challenges and opportunities, with the goal of enabling success. She is passionate about delivering an exceptional member experience and is known for identifying strategic opportunities, offering valuable insight, and building meaningful relationships across the sector.
Lucy Whelan
Relationship Manager
Lucy joined the NPA in 2017 and is a highly experienced professional with a successful career spanning 34 years covering sales leadership, account management, and business development roles across various industries. She excels in relationship building and her strengths include empathy, enthusiasm, and attention to detail, enabling her to foster productive relationships and deliver high-quality support to NPA members. Lucy is passionate about driving success, developing others and adding value, always striving to ensure members have the best experience.
Olivier Picard
NPA Chair & Smaller groups - Eastern England
Olivier has been a community pharmacist for almost 20 years. He trained as a pharmacist in France, but has spent most of his working life in the UK.
He was an area manager in Moss Pharmacy and established his own pharmacy business in 2006, now running four pharmacies in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
He has been a member of the CPE committee and worked with PSNC on rural pharmacy matters. He has been active promoting pharmacy on national and local media.
Sukhi Basra
NPA Vice-chair & Smaller groups - London & Kent
Sukhi qualified in 1996 from De Montford University and has been an independent pharmacy contractor for over 15 years and served her community in Victoria in central London for 25 years.
Following a journey through the NHS Mary Seacole Leadership programme, she continued to develop herself with a Clinical Diploma in Pharmacy Practice and Independent Prescribing resulting in a role as respiratory lead in a GP practice and a role as lead pharmacist of a newly formed PCN.
She describes herself as a keen advocate for championing the community pharmacy sector, especially the small independent voices – looking to raise awareness of the untapped resource of the NHS’s “quietest and humblest profession” and highlight the clinical expertise available to communities at their doorstep. Sukhi wants to share ideas, diversity of thought and experience through female representation.
Baldev Bange
NPA Treasurer & Large groups - Central England
Baldev started his career with a multiple, working in pharmacies and then senior roles at head office leading transformational agendas.
These roles subsequently led him to a director position at a pharma organisation, driving healthcare tech and then supporting a start-up online doctor organisation creating innovation by connecting private entities to the NHS spine.
He is a business leader with a strong track record of revitalising businesses in the pharmacy and healthcare sector and is owner and superintendent pharmacist of a pharmacy group. Baldev joined the board of the NPA in November 2023.
Ashley Cohen
Smaller groups - North of England
Ashley has pharmacies in Leeds and York, and has significant commercial experience of private external contracts managed through his pharmacy teams.
Ashley manages a team of pharmacy professionals that work and support seven hospices across the Yorkshire region. Alongside the hospice work, Ashley also has secured contracts with local Hospital units, Community Intermediate Care Units (CICU), prison departments plus over 50 care homes across Yorkshire to supply pharmacy professional staff and pharmaceutical supply. Ashley team have been recognised locally and nationally at providing innovative services supporting local healthcare services.
Ashley is a committee member for Community Pharmacy North Yorkshire and Chair of Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire which supports 500 local contractors, and sits on the Community Pharmacy England sub-committee on People and Governance.
Ashley works with his wife (who is not a pharmacist) in the business, and has three children aged 18, 16, & 10 who keep him extremely busy when not working.
Sanjay Ganvir
Larger groups - Southern England
Sanjay been a practising pharmacist for 29 years.
He is a Director and Superintendent Pharmacist at Green Light Pharmacy Group. Green Light is an employee-owned company, mainly based in and around London. Sanjay is the Chair of Community Pharmacy Camden and Islington and sits on the London wide group of LPCs.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and an honorary lecturer at UCL. Sanjay was elected to the NPA Board in March 2023
Mike Hewitson
Smaller groups - England
Mike Hewitson has been a practising community pharmacist for more than 20 years. He qualified from the University of Bath in 2002 and completed his Pre-Registration training with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Mike became a Pharmacy Manager for the Dudley Taylor group, managing a busy health centre pharmacy before buying his first pharmacy in 2008. Mike owns two community pharmacies in West Dorset where he has delivered a number of new services and programmes. Mike qualified as an independent prescriber in 2021 with an interest in dermatology, and was awarded the “Independent Prescriber of the Year” by Independent Community Pharmacist magazine in 2023. He is actively involved in the Independent Prescribing Pathfinder project for community pharmacy. Mike ran the local vaccination site through COVID and has overseen more than 65,000 successful vaccination events.
Mike served on the Board of the National Pharmacy Association from 2010 - 2018 and was re-elected in 2025. He has previously served as Vice Chair of the Association as well as Chair of the Policy & Practice and Membership Committees. Mike oversaw the NPA’s Hub & Spoke Policy Group which created industry leading policy research into this emerging area of practice. He served on the Pharmacy Voice Board from 2013-2016, Chairing the Professional Practice Group. Mike is the current Chair of Community Pharmacy Dorset. Mike served as an NPA representative to PSNC from 2015-2018 and to CPE from June 2025 onwards.
Mike is active in local politics and was elected to Somerset Council in 2022 where he serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. In this role Mike is tasked with the governance and financial oversight of the Authority which is the 2nd largest Unitary Authority in the Country.
Salim Jetha
Smaller groups - London & Kent
Salim is proprietor of an independent community pharmacy and still works there offering a range of services such as Covid vaccination, travel and private PGDs .
He is one of the founder members of Avicenna and was its CEO until it was sold off in 2019. He still works part time for the new owners. Salim’s accolades include Pharmacy Business Editor Award, Fellow of RPS and Fellow of RPS Faculty.
He is an active LPC member.
Aisling O'Brien
Larger groups - North of England
A current owner of nine pharmacies in the northwest England. I have been working in community pharmacy for over 25 years and in later years the pressure has been more considerable than any other time.
I find myself an accountant, HR manager, buyer and staff support system daily alongside being a trusted community pharmacist.
I hope by working on the NPA board to be able to influence in the right areas and help to guide contractors through the fast-changing role pharmacists are having to adapt to every day.
NPA England Members
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