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Conference booking forms now available
Pharmacists’ role in cancer care and treatment highlighted

Conference booking forms now available

Booking forms for this year’s British Pharmaceutical Conference are now available. The form is included in a 12-page brochure setting out details of the programme for the conference, which takes place at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, from September 23 to 26.

For those who book by August 1, the full conference fee is £420+VAT, reduced to £325 +VAT for presenters and for members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Joint Pharmaceutical Analysis Group and the UKI Controlled Release Society. Bona fide students pay £80+VAT. One-day fees are also available. Fees increase by varying amounts after August 1. Registration covers entrance to all conference sessions and the Science Fair. It does not include accommodation.

Copies of the conference brochure can be obtained from Health Links, 3rd Floor, Windsor House, 11a High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7BB (tel 0121 248 3399; fax 0121 248 3390; e-mail alyons@health-links.fsnet.co.uk). Accommodation booking forms are available from the same sources. Registration and accommodation bookings can also be made online through the Society’s website (www.rpsgb.org.uk).

Pharmacists’ role in cancer care and treatment highlighted

The importance of pharmacists’ role in cancer care and treatment was highlighted by Sir Nicholas Young (chief executive, Macmillan Cancer Relief) when he responded to the toast to the guests at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Council dinner on June 5.

In her last public role as President of the Society, Christine Glover paid tribute to those specialist pharmacists working in the area of cancer treatment.

Sir Nicholas was one of a number of dinner guests representing bodies involved in the prevention and treatment of cancer and the care of cancer patients. Guests included Professor Karol Sikora (visiting professor of international cancer medicine and honorary consultant oncologist, Imperial College School of Medicine), Andrew Stanley (director of oncology and palliative care pharmacy, Birmingham City Hospital), Dr Teresa Tate (medical adviser, Marie Curie Cancer Care), Clive Bates (director, Action on Smoking and Health), Delyth Morgan (chief executive, Breakthrough Breast Cancer), Joanne Rule (chief executive, Cancer BACUP) and Dr Max Summerhayes (principal oncology pharmacist, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital).

Among the other guests were Diane Jeffrey (chairman, NHS Confederation), Donna Covey (director, Association of Community Health Councils of England and Wales), Jeremy Strachan (secretary, British Medical Association), Dr Mike Pearson (director, clinical effectiveness and evaluation unit, Royal College of Physicians), Dr Geof Rayner (chairman, UK Public Health Association), Dr Michael Rutter (chief executive, Veterinary Medicines Directorate), Dr Michael Jepson (visiting fellow, Aston University school of pharmacy; pharmacist member, Veterinary Products Committee), Keith Krzywicki (president, Pharmacia Ltd), Tony Nunn (director of pharmacy, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital), Noel Dixon (community pharmacist; managing director, Dixon & Hall Ltd), John Hall (community pharmacist; director, Dixon & Hall Ltd), Gordon Murray (partner, Murrays Solicitors), Lord Newton of Braintree (vice-chairman, All Party Pharmacy Group), Professor Alison Blenkinsopp (professor of the practice of pharmacy, department of medicines management, Keele University) and Dr Thomas Stuttaford (medical correspondent, The Times.