29/05/2026
2027 will mark the 20th year of Robert Severn's chairmanship of Community Pharmacy Nottinghamshire. As such, itโs safe to say he knows his way around community pharmacy and, being a pharmacist himself, he is a staunch and highly respected advocate of the profession.
We caught up with Rob to find out a bit more about how he got into pharmacy and his career to date.
โAfter qualifying in 1995 at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, I completed my pre-reg in Mansfield with Boots UK. I then spent 6 months working in Taunton before I returned to Notts to work for 2 years as a relief pharmacist for Boots.
It was my intention to buy a contract which, unfortunately, never happened. So, after working as a locum in various locations in Notts, I took a job as a Pharmacist Manager with Rowlands Pharmacy where I stayed for 10 years. The Co-op (latterly Well Pharmacy) approached me in 2010 to take on a Pharmacist Manager role.
During my initial spell at Rowlands I became involved with the LPC, and this continued when I joined the Co-op/Well. I became the companyโs LPC engagement manager supporting other LPC reps who worked at the company. Having seen many changes over the years โ our monthly committee meetings used to take place in a room over a pub after work! โ Iโm proud of the contribution my fellow committee members and I have made, and continue to make, to support our pharmacy colleagues.
My work with the LPC brought me closer to the Company Chemists'โ Association and, in 2021, I became their LPC Support Manager. Today we have 300 representatives across three countries, and alongside my position as chair here at CPN, itโs a role that keeps me busy!
Keen to make sure I could continue to practice pharmacy alongside these industry roles, I left Well in 2022 and returned to Rowlands in a part-time capacity. Being in the pharmacy is very important to me. Not only does it enable me to gather valuable clinical insights and further develop my understanding of the requirements of community pharmacy, but I can also make a difference by supporting my colleagues to provide outstanding patient care.
Outside work, Iโm married to Taseta, known as the CPoH (chief pharmacist of household) and I have two children: daughter Millie who is about to graduate with a Masters in Architecture from Bath University and son Jacob who is starting his GCSEs next year and is a keen cricketer and footballer.
Iโm also a trustee for charity in Gunthorpe and I still do football coaching for my sonโs team when needed or more often running the line. An avid sports fan, I can be found at most Notts County Football Club games and Iโm huge supporter of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. Finally, itโs with a heavy heart that, due to enthusiastically participating in thousands of scrums, rucks and mauls over the years, my right shoulder isnโt what it used to be, and I may well have made my last appearance for Keyworth Rugby Club clocking off at just under 300 appearances for the Club.
