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The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 264 No 7098 p803
May 27, 2000 The Society

Branch Representatives' Meeting

Call for permanent BPSA office at Lambeth headquarters

See also:
Call for reconsideration of Council election canvassing
Conference success?
No support for electoral college for Society's presidential elections
Representatives want UCAS style scheme for preregistration placements
Branches want their role reviewed
Pros and cons of STV discussed
Representatives want Society's public relations assessed for performance
Representatives want earlier Council response to BRM motions
Branch representatives support emergency hormonal contraception from pharmacies

A motion from the British Pharmaceutical Students Association, calling for the Society to provide a permanent office for the association at its Lambeth headquarters, received the support of the meeting.
Proposing the motion, Mr JONATHAN BURTON said this was not the first time this motion had been put forward by the association. He explained that as well as its representative role, the BPSA had been developing into a service-oriented organisation. It had 4,500 members consisting of undergraduates and preregistration trainees. It held approximately eight regional conferences each year with an attendance of approximately 1,000. It had been adapting to meet the needs of its members, but with increasing professional responsibilities and activities involving greater record-keeping and administration, there was a need to be more available not only to its members but to others.
The president and executive of the association as well as the local branches would benefit from the BPSA having a permanent office at 1 Lambeth High Street. The BPSA was represented on many groups and departments of the Society, and it was a struggle to keep these essential communication links going. A room in the building would greatly help. He suggested a small working group be set up with representatives of the Society and the BPSA to see whether or not it was a good idea.

Jonathan Burton
Jonathan Burton: need for BPSA to be more available

The motion was formally seconded by Ms ELIZABETH DORAN (BPSA). She said it would provide the BPSA with a centralised resource and a permanent address, which would make it easier for sponsors to contact it. It would give the BPSA a good base for commercial and professional meetings.
The PRESIDENT asked for clarification as to the resources required, whether it was just a room or whether it included support services.
Mr BURTON said there was a distinct difference between a permanent office and a permanent officer. This was a first step to give the association a chance to examine the possibilities for a permanent officer to work in the building.
Mr ROBERT DUNKLEY (Leeds) spoke against the motion, asking who would give up a year of their education to man such an office. There were better ways round the problem then to establish a permanent office in the Society's headquarters. Use should be made of current technology to put the BPSA on line.
The PRESIDENT pointed out that the executive of the BPSA had given the matter careful consideration.
The motion was carried.