March 24, 2026

Staff across the Trust are marking the retirement of Professor Mike Scott, MBE, after more than forty years of service to pharmacy and medicines optimisation in Northern Ireland.

Professor Scott qualified as a pharmacist in 1982, completing his PhD in Pharmacology the same year. He went on to build a career focused on improving how medicines are used to support safer patient care. From 2007, he served as Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management at the Northern Trust before becoming Director of the Regional Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre (MOIC), where he helped establish Northern Ireland as a leader in medicines safety and innovation.

Alongside his clinical work, Professor Scott made a significant contribution to education and research. He set up Northern Ireland’s first academic practice unit with Queen’s University Belfast in 1994 and was appointed Honorary Professor of Pharmacy Practice in 2009. His research in pharmacy practice and medicines optimisation has been widely published and continues to influence practice.

His achievements have been recognised through numerous awards, including Fellowship of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists Gold Medal, and the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Lifetime Achievement Award. He also contributed to the WHO Global Challenge on medication‑related harm and was appointed Visiting Professor at Ulster University in 2021. In 2022, he received an MBE for services to pharmacy.

Most recently, Professor Scott received a Special Recognition Award at the Northern Ireland Health Awards for his impact on healthcare locally and internationally. Colleagues describe him as a dedicated leader, a supportive mentor, and someone who has consistently championed better, safer use of medicines.

Everyone across the Trust wishes Professor Scott a long, happy, and well‑earned retirement.