The 61st Annual Hope Winch Lecture

He will be speaking on: "It Was Never the Plan: Looking Back on a Career of Unexpected Opportunities and Looking Forward to the Future of Ph*rm*cy.

There will be free parking.

About the speaker

Bruce’s connection to the University goes back to 1981, after he studied BSc Ph*rm*cy at Sunderland Polytechnic, which later became the University of Sunderland in 1992.

Bruce said: “It means a huge amount to have been invited to deliver this year’s Hope Winch Lecture. I’m really proud to be an alum of Sunderland and I look back on my time in the city as the happiest of times.

“I remember when I was a student hearing about the Hope Winch lecture and thinking, goodness me, you know, that's quite special. So, to deliver it means a lot to me.”

Since graduating, Bruce went on to work in community Ph*rm*cy, owning several pharmacies in Sheffield. Since then, Bruce has progressed to top positions at both the National Patient Safety Agency and NHS England.

During his time at NHS England, Bruce helped NHS England navigate major domestic and international events such as Brexit and the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Since retiring in 2023, Bruce has chaired a Royal Pharmaceutical Society Advisory Group on Medicines Shortages, undertaken research in Pharmacist Independent Prescribing and is Chair at a local hospice.

He was also recently elected as a member of the National Ph*rm*cy Advisory Council for England for the Royal College of Ph*rm*cy.

This role will see Bruce contribute to developing, setting and advancing Ph*rm*cy policy and practice within England.

Becki Waton, Senior Lecturer in Ph*rm*cy Practice and Chair of the Hope Winch Society, said: “We are honoured that Bruce has agreed to deliver the Hope Winch Lecture this year. Having someone who is currently involved heavily in the sector will provide a great insight to both our current Ph*rm*cy students and our alumni, both of whom are encouraged to attend the event.”

The lecture will take place at Murray Health Lecture Theatre, City Campus, SR1 3SD. Registration, refreshments, and networking start at 6:30 pm, while the lecture begins at 7:25 pm.

All staff, students, alumni, and members of the public are welcome to attend this free event. We hope to see you there!