I’m incredibly proud to share that our work at PharmBot AI has been shortlisted for the Best Pharmaceutical Partnership with the NHS at the 2026 HSJ Partnership Awards for our project:

AIVAe – Building the Future of AI-Enabled Pharmacy Partnerships.

This is a significant moment for our mission, not because of the award itself, but because of what it represents: recognition from across the NHS that responsible AI and clinical pharmacy expertise can work together to support safer, smarter medicines optimisation.

And importantly – this nomination isn’t mine alone. It reflects the contributions of UK pharmacy networks, NHS partners, clinical leaders and frontline pharmacists who have worked with us to build AIVAe from concept to real-world deployment.

Why This Matters Now

Across the NHS, pharmacy teams are facing new levels of clinical demand, unprecedented workload pressure, and a growing need for consistent, evidence-based decision support. The expansion of clinical services, evolving medicines guidance, and increased complexity of care all point to the same conclusion:

We need new models of support to protect patient safety and enable pharmacists to work at the top of their licence.

AIVAe was built to meet that need.

Not as a replacement for pharmacists – but as a clinical assistant, designed to streamline the routine, evidence-heavy parts of medicines optimisation so people can focus on patients, not paperwork.

A Partnership Approach – Not Just a Platform

From day one, the aim wasn’t to “launch a product into the NHS”.

It was to build a partnership model.

AIVAe was co-designed:

  • with pharmacy networks, who shaped the clinical use cases
  • with NHS stakeholders, who supported governance, safety and assurance
  • with practising pharmacists, whose feedback shaped every iteration

That partnership approach has been critical. It has shaped:

  • how AIVAe supports decision-making
  • how governance is embedded
  • how recommendations are surfaced
  • how automation integrates into real workflows
  • how safety controls are applied
  • how the system scales responsibly within NHS environments

The result is a responsible, governed AI tool that supports — rather than disrupts — the clinical role of pharmacists.

Evidence of Real-World Impact

We know that innovation only matters if it delivers measurable value.

Early deployments across our UK pharmacy network have shown:

  • reduced routine clinical workload
  • faster access to relevant guidance
  • more standardised medicine optimisation checks
  • increased confidence for frontline pharmacists
  • strengthened patient safety processes

This isn’t theory. It’s evidence from real pharmacies, working with real pressure — and achieving meaningful improvements in workflow and governance.

A Moment for Pharmacy

Being shortlisted for the HSJ Partnership Awards tells us something important:

The NHS sees AI-enabled pharmacy as part of its future.

Not as a distant vision, but as a practical way to reduce pressure, support clinical decision-making, and strengthen medicines safety right now, inside the existing system.

For the pharmacy profession, this is a key moment.

It shows that the sector is ready to adopt innovation that protects clinical judgement, reinforces governance, and reduces workload safely.

My Personal Reflection

When I first founded PharmBot AI, the goal was simple: to build tools that support pharmacists in the places where time, information and safety pressures converge.

Over time, that simple goal has grown into a wider mission — to develop the first true AI-enabled pharmacy model, built around partnership, evidence and responsibility.

To see that mission recognised by HSJ is something I’m deeply proud of — not for me, but for everyone who believes in the future of this profession.

Innovation in pharmacy will not be defined by technology alone — it will be defined by the way we work together to make that technology safe, useful and trusted.

What Happens Next

The final presentation to the judging panel takes place in January, and the winners will be announced on 19 March 2026 at Evolution London.

Between now and then, our focus remains exactly the same:

  • supporting our pharmacy network
  • strengthening governance
  • collecting outcome evidence
  • working with NHS partners
  • listening to pharmacists
  • improving through real-world use

AIVAe is still early in its journey. But this nomination shows that we’re building on the right foundations.

Thank You

To everyone in our pharmacy network, NHS collaborators, advisors and clinical colleagues — thank you for your support, challenge and partnership.

AIVAe is the product of your experience, your feedback and your ambition for what pharmacy can become.

And to the HSJ judges — thank you for recognising the value of a responsible, partnership-led approach to AI in healthcare.

If you’d like to understand more about AIVAe, our approach to governance, or opportunities to collaborate, please feel free to connect or reach out directly.
— Asif