MHRA’s new Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer begins important role
Dr Laura Squire OBE has begun her role as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer
This week Dr Laura Squire OBE begins her role as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer. She joins us from the Department of Health and Social Care, where she worked extensively on the COVID-19 vaccine deployment programme.
Laura started her career as a post-doctoral research assistant looking at resistance to anti-malarial drugs at the Liverpool Institute of Tropical Medicine following her PhD and BSc in Biochemistry and Physiology. She has spent most of her career as a Civil Servant. After many years in operational work Laura moved into government policy in 2014. In parallel, she went back to university, gaining an Executive Master’s degree in Public Policy from the London School of Economics. Laura has extensive experience of regulatory and organisational transformation through her wider policy and operational work in other major government departments.
MHRA Chief Executive, Dr June Raine, commented:
We are delighted that Laura joins us at an exciting time as the Agency looks to implement its transformation and as we continue to work hard on improving safe access to medicines, vaccines and medical devices. Laura’s experience will be invaluable in helping us in our important commitment to maintaining high standards in, and improving access to, healthcare for the benefit of patients and the public.
Laura brings with her a wealth of knowledge, including regulatory and extensive policy expertise, which will help inform and guide our work for the future.
Dr Laura Squire OBE, newly appointed MHRA Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer commented:
I am coming to the Agency from the COVID-19 Vaccine Programme, something which has already saved so many lives. That simply could not have happened without the expertise, professionalism but also the innovative approaches of the MHRA, which enabled the pace we needed whilst making sure patient safety was always uppermost in minds. That is why I wanted to join MHRA.
As we drive forward the transformation, we need to keep striking that balance, doing things differently and innovatively whilst always keeping in mind what this means for patients. I know I am joining a team of hugely skilled and knowledgeable people. I am looking forward to building on the Agency’s world-renowned expertise on access to innovative healthcare products for the benefit of public health.