Mike Knowland has been appointed President of  PAGB, the consumer healthcare association - as it continues to drive initiatives calling on the nation to support the NHS through self-care.

Having held the position of PAGB Vice-President since December 2022, Mike has held various senior commercial, marketing and supply chain directorship roles at large multinational organisations including Unilever, Philips and Coty before joining Bayer as Sales Director in September 2019. In July 2021, he was promoted to the UK lead for Bayer's Consumer Health division and since October 2023, Mike has been the General Manager for Northern Europe – covering the UK, Ireland, Nordics & Benelux.

Commenting on his appointment as President of PAGB, Mike Knowland notes: “I am really looking forward to working with the PAGB in this highly strategic role. PAGB is the key champion for self-care in the UK, which aligns to our Bayer global vision of ‘Health for All, Hunger for None’ and efforts to drive greater access to health and self-care. The value of self-care is increasingly recognised by national policy makers in Government and NHS England. Now is an exciting time where we can really push for better support for self-care, helping to save patients waiting for GP appointments as well as saving primary care time and NHS money.”

Michelle Riddalls, CEO of PAGB, says: “We are delighted to welcome Mike Knowland as President of PAGB. Mike brings a wealth of experience and insight which will be enormously valuable as we work towards improving access to self-care in the UK. Community pharmacy is an integral part of this work, widening access to over-the counter (OTC) medicines and providing solid, professional support in treatment options and education in self-care across communities. As a PAGB Board member since 2021, and more recently Vice-President, Mike understands this environment very well and can help drive the self-care agenda forward.”

Primary care services are under increasing pressure with GP shortages in England. Over a third (36%) of those who sought GP advice and treatment for a self-treatable condition found it difficult to get an appointment according to research commissioned by the PAGB.¹  As a result, this is driving more people towards self-care to maintain their health and wellness, with 45% saying their ability to get a GP appointment has impacted their decision to self-treat.

Mike Knowland adds: “We need to keep making noise and driving the awareness of self-care that equips and empowers healthcare professionals and society – it’s a daily health essential. And that means continuing to drive education round the valuable role that community pharmacy plays, as well as the digital information tools we now have to help bridge learning gaps. Industry also has a role to play as partners in delivering healthcare information directly to consumers.”

In summary, Michelle Riddalls notes: “Although awareness of the benefits of self-care, for both consumers and the health service, has increased as a result of our educational outreach and initiatives, there is still significant room for improvement. We expect our recently launched compendium of self-care case studies, which highlights best practice learnings, including advice and tips to help in the design and implementation of self-care programmes will help to reduce the burden of minor ailments and self-treatable conditions in their locality.”

Mike’s appointment coincides with the launch of PAGB’s new five-year strategy, which sets out an ambitious vision for the UK to lead the way in consumer healthcare, ensuring unparalleled access to products that empower consumers to self-care with confidence.

Michelle Riddalls adds: “For 2025 and beyond, our focus at PAGB is about supporting the Government’s manifesto commitments to take the pressure off GP surgeries by ‘improving access to services and treatment through new routes’ and to expand the role of self-care, with pharmacy playing a pivotal role here. Fixing the “broken” NHS – is essential for the future of our health and wellness as a nation and that’s why widening access to OTC medicines and empowering people to self-care are a priority and the key to the success of the 10-year healthcare plan the government is rolling out.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:  PAGB, the consumer healthcare association, represents the manufacturers of branded OTC medicines, self-care medical devices and food supplements in the UK. 

¹A Perspectus Global survey of 4,000 adults; Data on file.