The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has published a discussion paper entitled "Developing pharmacy values: stimulating the debate". The paper is based on research carried out by Dr Alan Cribb (deputy director, centre for public policy research, King's College London) and Professor Nick Barber (head of centre for practice and policy, School of Pharmacy, University of London). The need for the discussion paper was identified at the first meeting of a working party, which was set up last year by Mr Hemant Patel, while he was the Society's President, to examine core values in pharmacy (PJ, April 24, 1999, p577).
The document was distributed to the Society's branch representatives at their meeting on May 11 after the meeting had been addressed by Professor Barber (see p804). It is intended that the document will be discussed at local branch meetings. Comments about the document should be sent to Professor Barber, School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX.
Miss Ann Lewis (Secretary and Registrar, Royal Pharmaceutical Society) said: "I hope this document will stimulate debate among our profession about how we can best develop understanding of the ethics and values of pharmacy and link this to the consideration of changes in our code. Pharmacy values is a subject that has not been discussed extensively and the Society intends to widen the debate to other health professionals by the end of the year."
Copies of the document are available from Ms Kerry Crabb at the Society's headquarters (price £10).