The Government was to hold a closed meeting on May 26, after The Journal went to press, to discuss the place of pharmacy in plans to modernise the National Health Service.
"Leaders from both the pharmacy and medicine worlds, alongside other key thinkers and innovators" were invited. Participants were required to adhere to Chatham House rules to facilitate a free and frank exchange of views. Chatham House rules are intended to provide a framework under which no one feels inhibited from expressing a view because no one will reveal anything about the meeting.
A letter of invitation to the meeting said: "It has long been acknowledged that there is great potential for pharmacy and pharmacists to contribute more fully to the NHS."