Pharmacy has been overlooked in the membership of six "action teams" that are to help the Government draw up plans to modernise the National Health Service (PJ, April 1, p502).
On April 4 the Secretary of State for Health announced the names of 137 politicians, health professionals, NHS managers and others who are to help Ministers draw up a national plan for the NHS. There is not a single pharmacist among them.
The nearest the profession gets to any direct input into the groups is the Proprietary Association of Great Britain's head of public affairs (Mrs Gopa Mitra). The press notice that listed the teams described her as "Gopa Mitra, PAGB (pharmacists)".
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society told the NHS Executive on April 5 that Mrs Mitra did not represent pharmacy.