Helen Smith

Name: Helen Smith
Role: Locality Lead for Trafford
Qualified: MPharm (Hons), University of Manchester, 1985
Represents: CCA

Contact: enquiries@cpgm.org.uk

About Helen:

Helen spent 20 years with Boots the Chemist before moving to Tesco, where she has been for the past 14 years as a Regional Manager for the North West. Her role involves leading change in all aspects of pharmacy in a supermarket format, and launching pharmacies in the 100-hour model.  She spends her time with pharmacists and technicians in front-line pharmacy and drives the change to further increase pharmacy becoming a services-led business supporting the NHS.

She is keen on people development within pharmacy to ensure pharmacists are fully equipped to utilise the opportunities to help patients out of normal GP hours, and act as front-line healthcare professionals to protect the pressure on the NHS .

Within her role as a Committee Member, Helen has helped implement the reorganisation of CPGM to allow the team to accurately reflect the needs of contractors. She uses her experience in people-management and business focus to aid discussions with the Services Subgroup, people team and GM Healthcare Academy (GMHCA).

Helen is also the Locality Lead for Trafford and works with the local flu group and vaccination forum which has been fundamental in the planning of Covid-19  vaccination services for the area.

“Looking to the future, I’m passionate about pharmacy becoming a major player for services in primary care, and for all their knowledge and ability to be utilised in supporting the NHS of the future”.

Areas of special interest / expertise:

• People leadership
• Commercial management
• Daily contact with front-facing pharmacy