Working Life: BMS UK’s market access director Patrick Hopkinson
pharmafile | February 24, 2011 | News story | Business Services, Medical Communications, Sales and Marketing | BMS, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Patrick Hopkinson, Working Life, recruitment
Patrick Hopkinson, director of market access and external affairs at Bristol-Myers Squibb UK, talks to Pharmafocus about how he got into his current role and what’s most enjoyable about it:
I have worked in healthcare for over 20 years, starting initially as a clinical pharmacist working at Guys and St Thomas’ London and then the Royal Berkshire Hospital Reading where I specialised in oncology.
Qualifying as a health economist in 1996, I then decided to explore a commercial career moving to GlaxoWellcome in the Global Health Outcomes department in R&D.
This was a great experience introducing me to the pharmaceutical industry, working closely with R&D and gaining insight into the global reimbursement arena, particularly in Europe and US.
From the start I was keen to move to commercial so I completed an executive MBA at Henley Management School. This enabled me to move to a global commercial role and then to the UK affiliate to gain sales and marketing experience.
I became a business unit director for the hospital specialist products and then headed up a strategic market access team that was looking at changes in the NHS, and how GSK needed to evolve its customer model.
I was also involved in key ABPI policy initiatives such as the Office of Life Sciences Blueprint and the Joint Working Taskforce.
I then took the decision to develop my market access career further by moving from GSK to my current role in BMS as director of Market Access and External Affairs.
How is your field changing?
The pharma industry is in a period of unprecented change driven by environmental and structural pressures.
The commercialisation model needs to rapidly evolve in line with the radically changing world of our customers.
Market access is a critical component to this new model and is challenging the current selling model, organisational structure, capabilities and resourcing.
Market access is currently viewed as a specialist function but increasingly will be the standard operating model for brand commercialisation.
What are the most enjoyable things about your role?
The breadth and variety of my role is great – spanning national policy development, access strategy and tactical implementation.
I get to lead a fantastic team who deliver the key components of brand success i.e. gov affairs, HTA, communications, pricing and the field-based market access teams.
The team are fully focused on maximising the success of the very exciting BMS portfolio and also leading key changes of the business model evolution, as part of the move to a leading biopharma organisation.
And the least enjoyable?
Change energises and excites me. However I recognise for others it can be challenging and unsettling. I see a key part of my role is to support people through the change process and develop personally and professionally through it.
What are the most common misconceptions about your field and the people who work within it?
There can be a perception that market access is bit of a black box art delivered by people who sit outside of the core sales and marketing functions.
In many of the progressive organisations this is changing as market access is embedded throughout the organisation and is viewed as a core commercial competency.
Is there someone in your field who has inspired you or from whom you have learnt a lot?
I have been very fortunate to have worked for a number of inspirational leaders and mentors both in the NHS and industry.
In my early career as a budding clinical pharmacist I was significantly influenced by Tony West, the chief pharmacist at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital, whose infectious passion for patient care and desire to embrace innovation at all levels to improve service spurred me to excel.
Similarly, is there someone (or something) outside your field who has been a big inspiration for you?
I have a strong personal faith which definitely provides inspiration but also a perspective in terms of work, family and life.
What is the secret to a happy working life?
For me it’s balance. I really enjoy my job I work hard and strive to deliver. However, my life outside of work is just as important in particular my family (wife and children), my friends and charitable work – I help run a local church youth club.
Getting the balance right positively inspires my work life by re-energising me, releasing creativity and strengthening resilience.
If you had advice for anyone starting out in your field now, what would it be?
Get breadth of experience and enjoy each part of the journey!
BIOGRAPHY
Patrick joined BMS UK in September 2010 as director of Market Access and External Affairs.
In his role Patrick leads the market access functions including PR & public affairs, national policy, government relations, health economics, outcomes strategy and field access.
Patrick manages the strategic and operational interfaces with NICE, the NHS and the Department of Health; as well as representing BMS on a number of industry groups including the ABPI Value-Based Pricing/Cancer Drugs Fund working group, the New NHS working group and the American Pharmaceutical Group.
Patrick joined BMS from GlaxoSmithKline, where he spent 14 years in various commercial roles including global strategic marketing and finally as director, Portfolio and Partnership Marketing in the UK.
In this role he pioneered new ways of working with the NHS such as Joint Working, and played a key role in the ABPI/DoH Joint Working Taskforce, the Office of Life Science Blueprint, the QIPP national initiative and the value and access third party support campaign team.
Prior to GSK, Patrick worked as a consultant pharmacist in the NHS. He holds a Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy, a Master in Health Economics and a MBA from Henley Management School.
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