Often after exams, students can feel unsure of what to do next. Many don’t want to stray too far from pharmacy over the summer whilst retaining knowledge and preparing for the year ahead. This is a period of opportunity to explore new avenues and uncover different aspects of pharmacy and network. This is exactly what I did by attending the PDA’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Conference 2026.
Joining online and as a hybrid participant did not take away from the energy and inspiration of the talks and workshops. It still provided the opportunity to network, ask questions, and be involved with activities ongoing in the main conference room with other pharmacy professionals, students, trainees, network members and allies.
The conference started off with a keynote speech from Melanie Holloway, which set off the tone and inspired attendees by talking about intersectionality and what it means to be an inclusive leader.
The event then went on to showcase the work of each of the PDA’s EDI Networks, including the sessions:
- National Association of Women Pharmacists (NAWP): More than representation, where Lourette Latif Philips and Nadira Mehjabin spoke about the current realities of being a female pharmacist, as well as allyship in action.
- Showing up in leadership spaces as BAME pharmacy professionals, with Lola Dabiri and Ewura-Adjoa Yamoah, who explored barriers, overcoming these with strategies, visibility, accessibility, legacy, and advice for early careers pharmacists entering professional spaces.
- Disabilities in pharmacy: the experience and impact, where Jyoti Buxani, Rosie Barnes, and Hazel Gueldner created an open space for interactive discussions based on scenarios to advocate reasonable adjustments and education within pharmacy.
- Gender Affirming Care from a pharmacy perspective, with Adam Somerville and Amber Wynn, who showcased good care and responsibility of pharmacists when supplying different medications used to support people with gender incongruence and the legalities of GnRH analogues.
One workshop on exploring Inclusive Pharmacy Practice (IPP) with Caroline Holmes, allowed in person attendees to write their ideas onto a whiteboard and for online participants to comment in the chat. There was also an interactive quiz to complete with an online and in-person winner.
Each of the networks achieved their aims in their own unique way, with the sense of community and impact being felt across platforms, creating an open and safe environment to share experiences and new ways of thinking, which have been clearly curated over time from members experiences. They highlight the importance of representation by coming together to form networks to increase voices. Even from my own home, I could feel the buzz from passionate conversations and the electricity of ideas being bounced around the room.
After attending, I feel more confident in the current progress of the PDA EDI Networks and gained valuable insight into equality developments affecting the profession from exploring practical examples throughout the day.
Whether you are an EDI champion or continuing to learn about inclusive practice and leadership, the PDA is strengthening spaces to come together and spread awareness of vital communities and networks.
By Ruby Howarth, MPharm Student
Get involved
PDA members can join an EDI Network for £12 per year, retired members for £24 per year, and non-PDA members for £36 per year. In accordance with the PDA’s support for future pharmacists, membership of the networks is FREE for PDA student and trainee members (PDA student and trainee membership is also FREE).
- Join the Ability Network
- Join the BAME Network
- Join the LGBT+ Network
- Join the NAWP Network
- Become a PDA Student Rep
Learn more
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.