The National Medicines Value Forum 2026 – Morning presentations
Below are highlights of the morning presentations shared at PM Healthcare’s National Medicines Value Forum 2026.
What should the role of “medicines value” pharmacists look like in the new NHS structures?
(Presented by: Raliat Onatade, Chief Pharmacist/Director of Medicines and Pharmacy, North East London Integrated Care System.)
At PM Healthcare’s National Medicines Value Forum today, in the opening plenary session, Raliat Onatade explored what the role of medicines value pharmacists should look like within new NHS structures and how value/savings can be achieved whilst maintaining patient care.
She asked: how does our medicine spend correspond to quality priorities and do we have the necessary data/evidence to support quality claims?
Value was defined clearly: patient health outcomes achieved relative to the costs of care. The central challenge is not simply reducing spend but demonstrating how medicines expenditure contributes to quality priorities and population health.
Five themes were highlighted: continued cost discipline; focusing on what medicines spend achieves; defining and reporting outcomes including safety, experience and equity; strengthening data capability; and, articulating how medicines investment reduces harm and improves lives.
The session emphasised a cultural shift — from viewing medicines primarily as a cost pressure, to positioning pharmacy as a leader in defining, measuring and creating value across systems.
The presentation was followed by a lively and engaging Q&A session, with a range of questions from delegates.
Understanding How The Finances Work For Medicines Optimisation In The New Structures
(Presented by: Brigitte van der Zanden, Deputy Chief Pharmacist, NHS South-West London ICB.)
At PM Healthcare’s National Medicines Value Forum 2026, Brigitte van der Zanden explored the financial underpinnings of medicines optimisation in the new NHS structures and their impact on patient and system outcomes.
Medicines remain the third largest NHS expense, with demand rising due to long-term conditions, ageing populations and obesity. Optimising medicines is therefore critical not only for patient safety and improved outcomes but also for system-wide financial sustainability.
Brigitte outlined how the new financial model reshapes responsibilities: ICBs act as value stewards, distributing budgets aligned with population health need, while providers deliver care within these allocations, driving medicines stewardship and best-value initiatives. Incentives are increasingly linked to productivity, outcomes and reducing low-value spending, supported by multi-year settlements and delegated budgets.
The shift from hospital to community settings, expansion of primary care prescribing oversight, and integration of community pharmacy services highlight a system-wide focus on equitable access, prevention, safer prescribing and value-based care. This approach positions medicines optimisation as both a clinical and financial lever to improve patient and population health.
The Medicines Optimisation Blueprint for ICBs
(Presented by: Minesh Parbat, ICS Chief Pharmacist, NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin ICB.)
At PM Healthcare’s National Medicines Value Forum 2026, Minesh Parbat outlined the Medicines Optimisation Blueprint for ICBs and its role in supporting system-wide priorities.
Medicines remain a significant area of NHS expenditure, becoming increasingly complex, driven by innovation, clinical advances and financial accountability requirements. Within the ICB operating framework, systems are expected to deliver financial balance, improve productivity, reduce unwarranted variation and improve population health outcomes.
The Blueprint provides a whole-system framework, integrating clinical outcomes, value, safety and equity, whilst tackling unwarranted health inequalities. It is built around three core pillars: clinical leadership; governance and assurance; and, data and analytics, and is expected to augment rather than replace existing initiatives.
Success is measured not only through financial delivery, but also clinical metrics, productivity gains and patient experience. With a structured implementation roadmap and a system maturity self-assessment model, medicines optimisation is positioned as a strategic lever, a shared responsibility, that is central to national priorities.
Belonging, Presence and Value: What Does It Look Like When We Own Our Expertise?
(Presented by: Jamie Hayes, Clinical Pharmacist, leadership and performance coach.)
An upbeat and uplifting session in which Jamie looked at aspects of career, work and identity, and how to manage competing challenges, busyness and the ever changing environment in which healthcare professionals work.
Drawing on working with actors, comedians and others, including insights such as circles of presence (styles of speaking), status (at play in every interaction), how to understand motivation (mastery, autonomy and purpose), and also the edifying effect of knowing you belong.
Person-centered and interactive, with lots of practical advice for those wanting to own their expertise and confidently enjoy what they do. Delivered with a commendable degree of brio by a very engaging speaker.
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