Chester Pharmacist elected at vice-president of Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Jun 18 2009 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

PHARMACIST Martin Astbury has been re-elected vice-president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain for a third term of office – a record unmatched since the middle of the last century.

The Society has 48,000 members and the vice-president plays an essential role in the overall management of the organisation.

Martin, 40, lives in Curzon Park, Chester, and works as a practising pharmacist at WM Morrisons at branches in West Kirby and Chester.

He said: “I’m honoured to have been elected vice-president of the leading national body for pharmacists. I’m also proud of my Chester roots and have made it my mission to promote the very real benefits pharmacy services can deliver to local communities.”

Martin was one of the first pharmacists to work directly with drug addicts, providing methadone to those on a treatment programme within a pharmacy setting. He was also one of the first pharmacists allowed to prescribe nicotine therapies for the NHS.

Born and raised in Vicars Cross and Westminster Park, Martin has always lived and practised locally, and is a co-founder of the Saightonians Cricket Club.