News

30th June 2011

Raj Aggarwal appointed new trustee at Wales Millennium Centre

Source: Wales Millennium Centre Press Centre

Cardiff Entrepreneur Raj Aggarwal, Managing Director of the Aggarwal Group, has been appointed a Trustee of Wales Millennium Centre.

Raj qualified from the Welsh School of Pharmacy in 1972 and worked for Boots plc in senior management until 1983, during which time he managed various large stores in UK. Raj is an advisor on various Health and Pharmaceutical Committees, a member of the Ministerial Pharmacy Strategic Delivery Group and Health Wales Columnist for the Western Mail. Last year he received the UK Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year award 2010 and this year was honoured with the Welsh Chemist Review special award for Outstanding Contribution to Pharmacy.

Raj has freely given of his time to philanthropic activity in Wales and is Chairman of Kidney Wales Foundation, where he has helped raise over £1 million to support renal research, benefitting patients across Wales and aided the launch of the first Wales organ donation campaign, leading to an increase by 126,000 people joining the organ donor register. He also supports the George Thomas Hospice and is a special advisor to India Centre and the Hindu Cultural Association (Wales). He is also the Board Director of Cardiff Business club and Wales International Business Council.

Raj was awarded an OBE in 2007 for services to pharmacy, the Asian community and charitable services.

Raj said, "I am proud and honoured to be on the Board of this world-class and iconic Wales Millennium Centre. I have visited the Centre regularly with guests since it opened in 2004 and have always been impressed with its offerings of the very best opera, ballet and musical theatre productions in excellent surroundings. Having now met the Board and the Executive team, I am particularly impressed with their aim of offering a first rate customer experience and to bring the best of the world to Wales and to showcase the best of Wales to the world. I hope I can contribute to the prosperity of this landmark facility."

Editor's Notes:

Wales Millennium Centre is an iconic arts venue and a cultural destination for performers and audiences in Wales and beyond. The Centre is a registered charity and provides a creative home to eight of Wales's leading arts and cultural organisations.
For further information about Wales Millennium Centre please visit: www.wmc.org.uk. The Centre's news releases can be found at: www.wmc.org.uk/press

6th June 2011

Raj Aggarwal receives the Special "Outstanding Contribution to Pharmacy" Award

Raj Aggarwal wins 2010 Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award

The 3rd annual Welsh Pharmacy Awards took place last Thursday at the spectacular Cardiff City Hall with members of the pharmacy profession showing their support for the deserved winners.

Hosted by the Welsh Chemist Review magazine, the awards have grown in strength and showcase the amount of hard work, determination and care that pharmacists have for their work. It recognises not only their outstanding skills and innovations, but presents pharmacists with the opportunity to be recognised for the best practices and excellence.

Hosted by Sian Lloyd (BBC Anchor Presenter), ten awards were presented on the night.

Special mention has to go to Raj Aggarwal OBE of Central Pharmacy who was the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Pharmacy Award. This award recognised Raj's dedication to pharmacy and his tireless work for the charity sector. Raj received a standing ovation from over 400 guests ,majority of them Pharmacists from all over UK.

Raj Aggarwal OBE said.I was delighted to be awarded this special award. To be recognised by the peers and my profession makes it all worthwhile. I enjoy and love whatever I do. Pharmacists play a vital role in the health of the Nation delivering excellence and professionalism very efficiently.

Michael Holden the National Pharmacy Association CEO said. It was great to see Raj recognised for his dedication to Pharmacy and Charity work. I always enjoy celebrating all that is good about community pharmacy and meeting the champions of the profession.

The NPA sponsored the drinks reception at the annual awards event and hosted a table of key stakeholders.

28th October 2010

Central Pharmacy's Raj Aggarwal wins 2010 Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Raj Aggarwal OBE beat off some fierce competition to win the prestigious UK Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Raj was honoured with the award, sponsored by Actavis, at a glittering 2010 Pharmacy Business Awards ceremony at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westminster on Thursday evening in front of nearly 900 guests and the Secretary of State for Health, Rt. Hon Andrew Lansley MP presented the award to him with a cheque for £2000. He spoke at length about the important role of community pharmacy in reforming the NHS.

Raj impressed an eminent panel of Pharmacy Business judges with his entrepreneurialism as owner of the Central pharmacy in Wellfield Road , Cardiff.

Dispensing over 10,000 items per month, the pharmacy and upper floors which include four Health & Beauty therapy rooms, are fitted to the very highest standard. Other than OTC medicines, the retail area is almost entirely devoted to exclusive fragrance and skincare ranges.

The fragrance department is part of a much bigger online fragrance business (ESCENTUAL) which is located in a local fulfillment centre generating an incredible £6m turnover a year sending fragrances/cosmetics all over Europe. The judges found Raj and his team to be highly motivated and very well trained. Raj is also involved in a number of charities, including Chair of the Trustees of Kidney Wales Foundation. Raj is also the Board Member of National Pharmacy Association, Community Pharmacy Wales ,Chairman of the South East Region and a Director of Cardiff Business Club.

The Secretary of State for Health, Rt. Hon Andrew Lansley MP said "This gives me the chance to say, quite early on since the formation of the coalition Government, how important pharmacy is and will be in delivering better health care to the people of this country," he said. "Increasing quality, deriving innovation, improving productivity - this is the stuff for improving customer services and improving success in competition with others. We have to deliver excellence and that excellence will come if we harness innovation and enterprise and competition to secure for the commissioners the very finest possible services and a culture of continuous improvement.

"I know, because I've been with so many community pharmacists, that they bring those things to bear. Not only efficient in terms of dispensing but thinking constantly how medicines management can be achieved more effectively."

Raj Aggarwal OBE said "The business is about the customers and staff and I provide the framework to ensure the customers are looked after properly and the staff work in an environment where standards are high. I am delighted to be awarded the UK Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year and take it back to Cardiff and Wales and thank the judges for voting for me".

He added "Cardiff is a fine community and there is an enormous potential for business in Wales to succeed. I am proud that UK Awards can find their way to us here as enterprise and competition should be important to everyone as it allows communities like ours to prosper. We always set a benchmark of service and targets but in the end I cannot do it alone and I thank the customers and staff here."

11 March 2010

KIDNEY WALES FOUNDATION SUPPORTS WORLD KIDNEY DAY

Kidney Wales Foundation launches £100,000 Wales Renal Research Fund for 2010 and supports dialysis patient care

Kidney Wales Foundation today announced a £100,000 research fund for kidney research and will be seeking bids from across the research community to fight kidney disease in 2010 . It has been decided that this would be an annual comitment subject to fundraising.

Announcing the Kidney Wales Research Fund today at the KW Office Raj Aggarwal OBE Chair of Trustees said “Awareness of Kidney Diseases is low with many people totally underestimating the vital role our kidneys play. In fact kidney damage and disease causes serious morbidity for hundreds of thousands of people, and in some cases leads to death. “

He added “These facts speak for themselves. Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) contribute towards morbidity from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), we need further research on this and regenerative research.”

“Right now, the lives of three hundred thousand people in Wales are threatened by chronic kidney disease. The costs of kidney failure (end-stage renal disease) and people are currently kept alive through either haemo or peritoneal dialysis or transplantation. This number is forecasted to double within the next 10 years.”

Bids to the Fund are being sought from researchers across Wales and interest has been shown from overseas and particularly the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine Winston-Salem in the United States.

The bids will be peer reviewed by experts in renal medicine and organised by Kidney Wales.

To further mark World Kidney Day, Kidney Wales is presenting new media screens to Kidney Patients in Cadiff who need multi media screens while on dialysis.

Mel Wager of Kidney Wales a kidney patient from St Athan waiting for a transplant said ” I approached Kidney Wales for new media screens for the Dialysis Ward in the Heath, where dialysing can be an isolating experience. The charity responded positively and the new digital screens are being unvieled to mark World Kidney Day.”

Roy J Thomas Executive Chairman of Kidney Wales said “Our supporters and fundraisers across Wales are to be congratulated for raising funds for research and patient care. We cannot thank them enough for making this possible. Deaths claimed by infectious diseases will decline by 3% over the next decade. In marked contrast, deaths as a result of chronic diseases will increase by 17%. “

To promote awareness and raise funds Kidney Wales is organising the Walk for Life on Sunday 28th of March with over 60 walks and communities across Wales supporting kidney patients. Details of walks across Wales and how to organise one in your own community can be found at www.kidneywales.com

Kidney Diseases, Silent Killers

More than 500 million people worldwide – approximately one in ten adults – have some form of kidney damage.

Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) contributes towards morbidity from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in over 12 million individuals worldwide each year.

Chronic diseases – that already account for 72% of the total global burden of disease in people over 30 – will increase by 17% over the next decade; much of this in developing countries. In marked contrast, deaths claimed by infectious diseases will decline by 3% in the same period.

Many ignore the function of their kidneys, while they are at the heart of our body health. The main job of our kidneys is to remove toxins and excess water from our blood. Kidneys also help to control our blood pressure, to produce red blood cells and hormones, and to keep our bones healthy.

Too many people ignore the close inter-relationship between kidney diseases and diabetes or hypertension. Worldwide, 246 million people suffer from diabetes and the figure is expected to reach 380 million by 2025. Diabetic nephropathy affects a third of people suffering from diabetes. Sadly, less than half of those people diagnosed with diabetes undergo a simple screening test for kidney disease.

Kidney diseases are often detected too late, when the patient is already in end-stage renal failure and will need either dialysis or transplantation. Worldwide, over 1.5 million people are currently kept alive through dialysis or transplantation and this number is forecasted to double within the next 10 years. This phenomenon results in the steep increase of organ trade and transplant tourism, two largely publicised issues.

It is less known, however, that a simple way to prevent these issues is to tackle the problem at the source, and ensure early diagnosis of kidney damage by systematically screening people diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension. This can be done with simple and inexpensive urine tests. If detected early, damages can be treated with effective therapies. If diagnosed too late, kidney diseases lead to kidney failure, which entails dialysis and transplantation.

29 December 2009

Cardiff in innovative 'insourcing' deal and looking to India investment

The recently formed Cardiff Business Partnership (CBP) welcomed Tata Consulting Services as a new member and the recent news that Cardiff Council has signed an innovative 15-year 'insourcing' deal with Indian supplier Tata Consulting Services in a move that will allow it to transform its IT services while retaining its in-house technology and IT team.

Roy J Thomas Director of the CBP said "Tata attended our first meeting and was evident that the deal was innovative and will benefit Cardiff and we would like to see TCS establish more links with Wales.We recently talks withe Indian High Commission and will progress these talks in April 2010 with the first visit of new the India High Commissioner to Cardiff."

The council aims to work with TCS to create an IT innovation centre that will generate ideas to invest in the council's IT services.

Adrian Clark Chairman of the Partnership said "The Council outlined these plans to us as businesses in July when we first met and was in the processes of tendering.We were impressed then with the new way of dealing with IT.TCS is clearly moving ahead in the public as well as the private sector.Investment in ICT is important to Cardiff .We are delighted to have Tata as a member of the Partnership".

Raj Aggarwal of the Wales India Centre and local businessman said "Cardiff and India will develop a more real business relationship in the immediate future especially with the establishment of the Cardiff Business Partnership which is welcomed by us all.Talks are already underway with key individuals to secure Indian investment. The Cardiff Partnership has a clear international vision and sees India as an investor in the growth of the city .This is important and likely to bring more new thinking and is supported by the Indian community."

A plan to spend £150m on IT services over the life of the contract, will see the Council hold on to its 140 IT staff and its existing IT systems, while working with TCS consultants to develop technology that will improve the services it offers to Cardiff residents.

The project is part of a transformation project that will see the council offer innovative services to residents over the internet, rationalise its internal computer systems, and link disparate databases to eliminate duplicate records.

"We wanted to do something different. We have been very clear all along there will be no transfer of Cardiff IT staff. We have made significant investments in our people and we want to retain our expertise," said Alan Thomas head of ICT in the Council.

The deal will give Cardiff Council, which employs 18,000 staff, access to the expertise of consultants at TCS, which has a track record for major government IT projects in India and the US.

The programme aims to exploit IT to make it easier for Cardiff residents to access council services. So, for example, residents could order a library book or book a squash court by phoning the council's call centre or filling in their details on the council website.

The IT department aims to work with TCS to integrate and rationalise its back office IT systems. One plan is to create a single service that will manage HR and payroll across the council's operations. Workers across the council will be able to phone a single call centre for HR and payroll queries.

TCS will begin with a 12-week project to assess the council's IT systems and to deliver a proposals to upgrade and develop them. The projects will delivered by the council's own IT staff, TCS or a combination of both. The council will assess the business case for each project before deciding which to implement.

Brian Woodford, director for the public sector at TCS, said the contract with Cardiff differs from the normal buyer and supplier relationship.

"We are here to augment and provide skills and capacity to Cardiff," he said. "We really want to show a new approach to how local authorities could work. It is very citizen focused."

14 November 2009

Raj recently visited UWIC Cardiff School of Management to give a presentation to a group of MBA students.
The following is an excerpt from an email he recieved from the course lecturer in response to his visit:

Dear Raj,

I have just marked the Reflection Sheets from the 107 students that attended your presentation last week. They enjoyed your talk so much, and I thought you may be interested to have a flavour of their comments (each extract is from a different student). I have left the English as is, for most it is not their first language:

"I am very happy to say that as far as I know , this guest lecture had given UWIC an Indian flavour. There are no words to explain how much knowledge and skill I have gained within a very short time span... His speech was empowering and thoughtful. It made me think about what I have done to the society so far."

"Mr. Aggarwal gave me a real insight into what is needed to successfully switch from employee to entrepreneur, an entrepreneur being, I believe, the purest form of a project manager. The presentation struck a real cord (sic) with me as many of my experiences , having set up my own business three months ago, echoed throughout Mr. Aggarwal's presentation. His success is a reassuring sign that with the right drive and determination it is possible to achieve dreams."

"His talks were very motivational and inspiring. And in most inspiring for me was that unlike other motivational speakers, he himself was the examples of his words. He showed us that if you believe in yourself you can come up in life."

"The best part of the evening was the speaker had no slides about the work he did till date. He was telling his experiences and sharing his knowledge by mouth which indicated me that he was a simple yet pragmatic man who kept measuring and improving the standards and values he adopted to reach this far........ Apart from the qualities a project manager should possess, I have also learnt the qualities a better human being should possess. I have learnt that warm hearted nature, courteousness will fetch good people as friends just like the way Mr. John Gunson has a very good friend like Mr. R. K. Aggarwal and vice versa. Making people comfortable and making them feel better is very important aspect I noticed from Mr. Gunson which I am planning to implement it further on from now."

"I personally felt, the man had an unknown aura, a charisma.... his calm but keen composure had given me the impression of a worldly, passionate, intelligent and altruistic perosn. He reminded me of Dheeru Bhai Ambani (Founder of Reliance). The same confidence and zeal to do something great. Although he did create a benchmark of his own crossing many mile stones in a country which is not his own, yet my intuition tells me that he will further go a long way......I was, in the past moved and inspired by great rulers and business tycoons but this was the first time I came face to face with a man who worked wonders. He shared with us his experiences, secrets which took him so far and each sentence struck me as a pearl of wisdom."

"A successful busienssman in the UK with an Asian descent is a true role model for students from the same region who want to make it big in the new country. Raj Aggarwal was exactly the material that overseas students are looking for who needed to see a live example of a successful Asian who was there to tell them the tips and tricks of the trade and speak his mind as to how he was able to achieve what he had achieved both as an employee of Boots and as a pharmacy business owner."

"Raj's successful career is a testament to the virtues of determination, hard work and sacrifice. What I particularly liked about Raj was his engaging personality and attentiveness to questions - it is very easy to understand why he has a flair for delivering exceptional customer service and maintains a wide network of friends and contacts. It is these latter qualities that are often overlooked by those climbing the corporate ladder and distinguish charismatic leaders from managers."

So thank you again, Raj, as you can see the students greatly appreciated your visit.

Best regards,

John

12 June 2009

EXPERT GROUP TO REVIEW PHARMACY SERVICES IN WALES

An expert group has been set up to review pharmacy services across Wales as part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to develop community pharmacy services and pharmacy-based drop-in centres.

The Task and Finish Group will look at all aspects of the current Community Pharmacy contract and how community pharmacists can play a greater role in delivering high quality healthcare to Welsh patients. It will also look at the provision of enhanced services from community pharmacies, with a view to standardising the availability and specifications of those services across Local Health Board areas.

In addition, the Group will focus on how to reduce the amount of medication wasted each year in Wales and will be looking specifically at chronic conditions management and admission and discharge to and from hospital.

Health Minister, Edwina Hart, said:

“I recognise that pharmacists have a wealth of experience to offer patients a range of healthcare advice and support. Pharmacists already offer advice to help people improve their health, such as quitting smoking or promoting good sexual health but they also offer support for people to manage their chronic conditions or help with minor conditions.

“I have met with Community Pharmacy Wales, the Welsh Directorate of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the National Pharmacy Association and I have made it clear that I am keen to utilise the skills and experience of pharmacists even further. The One Wales document commits the Welsh Assembly Government to ensuring improved access to services including pharmacy-based drop-in centres as a way of improving access to primary care services.”

Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy Wales, Paul Gimson, said:

“We welcome this initiative as the next step in bringing more NHS healthcare services direct to people in an accessible, and cost effective, way through more than 700 community pharmacies in towns, villages and high streets all around Wales.”

Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association, John Turk, said:

“We are delighted that the Welsh Assembly Government is determined to extend the role and contribution of community pharmacies and we will play our part in full in supporting how pharmacy services in Wales develop.

“We know first-hand of the Minister’s commitment to this initiative and we will bring to bear the experience, skills and knowledge of NPA members in Wales and beyond to deliver improved health outcomes for patients and the public.”

Chairman of the Welsh Pharmacy Board of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Marc Donovan, said:

"We welcome the work of this group which will bring a clear focus to the solutions that pharmacy can provide in improving services for the people of Wales. We are delighted that the Welsh Assembly Government is taking steps to build on the work that we have undertaken in recent years to explore and promote the role of the pharmacist in chronic conditions management, as independent prescribers and in proactively using pharmacy premises in the delivery of care in the community".

The Task and Finish group is due to submit a draft report to the National Advisory Board In July 2009, with a final report expected by November 2009.

The members of the Task and Finish Group are:

Chris Martin	To chair the Task and Finish Group. Currently Chair Designate, Hywel Dda LHB. A pharmacist by profession having qualified with an honours degree in pharmacy and former Community Pharmacist having previously established a small chain of pharmacies in Pembrokeshire. Former Pharmacist Board member of Pembrokeshire LHB. Awarded a Fellowship from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Great Britain (RPSGB) for services to community pharmacy in 2006.
Mel Evans	Is currently an Independent Member of the National Advisory Board and will provide a reporting link of the work of the Group into the NAB. He is a qualified accountant and has had a career in finance both in the private sector and the NHS. He has worked as Director of Finance for Mid Glamorgan Health & Family Health Services Authorities, was a former Director of Finance & Director of Contracting at the Bro Taf Health Authority and former Chief Executive of Rhondda Cynon Taff LHB.
Raj Aggarwal OBE	Currently Independent Community Pharmacy Contractor in Cardiff. Board Member of National Pharmacy Association and Community Pharmacy Wales. Chair of Community Pharmacy Wales (S.E.Region). Previously in Senior management with 'Boots'. Appointed by WAG to sit on oral hearing panels to consider and provide recommendations for appeals submitted under current regulations. Awarded an OBE in 2007 for services to Pharmacy, Charity and Asian Community in Wales.
Paul Gimson	Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy Wales. Former secondee to WAG, former HoPMM Caerphilly LHB and former community pharmacist.
Berwyn Owen	To provide a Local Health Board perspective. North Wales based. Chair of Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee.
Ian Cowan Pharmacist of Rowlands Pharmacy Group.	Current Superintendent. Ian has also recently been appointed as Chair of Community Pharmacy Wales.
Stefan Fec	Secondee to the Welsh Assembly Government as the Community Pharmacy Policy Manager. To provide secretariat support to the task and finish Group. Former Community Pharmacist and Prescribing Adviser to Powys Local Health Board