Pharmacist Support are appointed for an initial term of three years. Trustees are able to serve a maximum of nine years consecutively, which provides an opportunity for fresh perspectives, skills and experience to be included on a regular basis. The trustees are responsible for our governance and strategic direction.

Read more about how we are governed

We aim to have a board that reflects the diversity of the pharmacy profession, and ensures full insight into the challenges and needs faced by our pharmacy family. Meet our board of trustees below and understand what motivates them to volunteer for the pharmacy profession’s charity!

Esther Sadler-Williams (Chair)

With over 40 years’ experience in a variety of pharmaceutical roles (retail, hospital and industry), and having established a number of businesses, Esther brings with her insight into the many sectors of pharmacy along with strong strategic business skills. Esther has also been involved in a number of pharmaceutical steering groups to drive change within the industry.

Mark Sweeney (Vice Chair)

Mark is an experienced pharmacist and independent prescriber, with a special interest in the treatment of addiction, anxiety, and depression. Alongside clinical practise, he is currently a PhD Student in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London. He volunteers with multiple organisations to advocate for harm reduction services, evidence-based drug policy and improved outcomes for people who have substance use disorders.

Leah Davies

Since registering as a pharmacist in 2007, Leah has worked across multiple pharmacy sectors including industry and hospital before focussing on community pharmacy. Her roles in this sector have ranged from front line pharmacy management to Head of Professional, and Patient Services leading service development and information services teams across Phoenix Medical. Following her move towards educational leadership she has built and developed professional qualification programs driving strategic workforce development and governance. She sits on the national Community Pharmacy Workforce Development Group and has experience of national and local pharmacy representative roles within England, Scotland, and Wales. She has completed the Mary Seacole leadership program, a community pharmacy PG diploma, and her independent prescribing qualification and has a passion for colleague wellbeing, patient care, pharmacist education and community pharmacy development.

Paul Day

Paul has been Director of the PDA since 2017. He has decades of experience as a senior leader in the not-for-profit sector, previously serving as Deputy General Secretary of the Association of Teachers & Lecturers, Chairman of the Abbey National Group Union and Chief Operating Officer at the Business Disability Forum.

He has served on four local authorities, including as a cabinet member on a unitary authority and as mayor of his hometown, and he has been involved in the governance of many community and not-for-profit bodies.  Paul is currently vice-chair of his local Healthwatch, a member of the executive committee at the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) and holds several other trusteeships.

Dave Downham

A graduate of Cambridge University, Dave qualified as a Chartered Accountant in the Business Assurance division of Coopers & Lybrand. After managing a wide assortment of audit clients in varying industries from textiles to manufacturing to retail, David joined an online pharmacy as Head of Finance.

After a brief hiatus as Financial Director of an Executive Recruitment firm and an online resourcing business, he returned to pharmacy as Head of Finance for a small chain of community pharmacies in Yorkshire, from which his own business ET Downham was spun out. ET Downham now offers financial support and accountancy services to a range of clients in and around the sector.

Mohammed Hussain

Mohammed has worked at senior level in a portfolio career spanning national regulation, education, national health care technology and service redesign. He is the Senior Clinical Lead for Live Services at NHS Digital, leading a clinical team that supports NHS Digital’s Live services across England. Mohammed has served on a number of Boards and is currently a Non- Executive Director at Bradford NHS Teaching Hospitals Trust and Chair of the Quality Academy. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK and a Founding Fellow of the Faculty of Clinical Informatics. Mohammed remains a practising pharmacist and is an elected Independent member of his LPC and is passionate about health technology, championing diversity and delivering excellent clinical care.

Mala Khiroya 

Mala has worked as a pharmacist for over 15 years in various community and hospital pharmacy roles. She is currently Managing Director and Superintendent Pharmacist of the outpatient pharmacies within Leicester Hospitals where she aims to ensure patients receive high quality, safe and effective care, and ensure the health and wellbeing of colleagues. Mala has successfully completed the Mary Seacole Leadership programme and in 2015 was selected as a finalist in the region for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s I love my Pharmacist award.

Raj Nutan

Raj brings over 28 years of experience in the Retail and Healthcare sectors, holding executive and board-level positions, alongside being a practising community pharmacist. With expertise in commercial operations, strategic planning, and business development in the UK Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Wholesale sector, Raj excels in sales strategy, marketing, general management, and negotiation, with a strong focus on strategic vision and operational efficiency.Currently serving as a Board Trustee for another charity, Raj holds an MBA in General and Strategic Management, blending strategic insight with practical expertise to build strong relationships, solve challenges creatively, and drive sustainable growth.

As a trained Mental Health First Aider, Raj is dedicated to promoting mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Passionate about fostering high-performing teams and collaborative, growth-driven cultures, Raj prioritizes people development, empowering individuals to achieve ambitious goals while driving organisational success.

Alison Scowcroft

Alison is a community pharmacist with 20 years’ experience in front line pharmacy, head office, business development, LPC and NHS roles. She worked for Co-op and then Well pharmacy for 17 years, eventually moving into a variety of head office roles including business to business, OPD, prisons and care homes. Alison spent 5 years with the not-for-profit Greater Manchester community pharmacy provider company CHL, where she was Director of Strategic Programmes, leading the organisation’s strategic and business planning, operating framework and stakeholder engagement & management. From 2004 she was a committee member (and Chair from 2008) for Oldham, Tameside, and Glossop LPC. Alison was also a founding member of the GM association of LPCs (CPGM) prior to LPCs formally merging in 2016. Alison is currently Community Pharmacy Clinical Lead for NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB), where she leads on community pharmacy integration and quality oversight and assurance of community pharmacy services.

Sarah Willis

Sarah is an experienced academic, researcher and former Company Director, with a background in both private and public sectors. She is a senior lecturer in the Alliance Business School at the University of Manchester. Sarah was previously a research fellow for the Centre for Postgraduate Pharmacy Education and Manchester Pharmacy School where in 2013 she first became involved with Pharmacist Support, leading the evaluation of the charity’s Wardley Wellbeing pilot.