Northern Ireland's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison has been conferred with the title of Honorary Professor of Practice by Queen's University Belfast.

Professor Cathy Harrison has received the honour in recognition of her very significant leadership and sustained contribution to the development of pharmacy practice in Northern Ireland, as well as her active role in driving sweeping reforms to the education and training of future pharmacists.  

Welcoming the announcement Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health Peter May said: "This award is a well-deserved acknowledgement of outstanding leadership that Professor Cathy Harrison has provided as the senior professional advisor to the Department on pharmaceutical and medicines issues, as well as to the HSC and wider pharmacy profession.

"Cathy's assured leadership of the pharmacy profession has been particularly welcome during recent years as the HSC has addressed the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and her contribution to maintaining the supply of essential medicines to Northern Ireland following the UK's exit from the European Union has been detailed and hugely important."

Professor Colin McCoy, Head of the School of Pharmacy at Queen's added: "We're very pleased that Cathy's ongoing contribution to the evolution of the pharmacy profession has been recognised in this way. This is a time of rapid change for pharmacy education, and our close ties and her impactful leadership will be vital to implementing that change.

Professor Cathy Harrison said: "I am delighted to receive this accolade from Queen's University Belfast, one of the leading academic centres for pharmacy teaching and research in the world. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the University over the coming years as major educational reforms are implemented that will prepare future pharmacists for increasingly clinical roles in a fast-changing healthcare environment."