The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7189 p360-364
16 March 2002

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Letters to the Editor

BPC

The Council should reverse its decision

From Mr G. A. Largue, MRPharmS, and Mr M. R. Hickey, MRPharmS

The Moray and Banff branch has come to a similar conclusion as the Dorset branch (PJ, 9 March, p327), in that once the funding of delegates to the British Pharmaceutical Conference is stopped, there will be few representatives sent from this branch.

As one of the smaller and also one of the more northern branches of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, we get a grant of only approximately £600, and out of this we manage to organise at least eight meetings (one joint with the Northern Scottish branch) and carry out some public relation exercises, eg, having a meal with an MP. In fact, if it were not for sponsorship of meetings we would not be able to organise as many as we do, because each meeting costs between £150 to £200 depending on numbers — we usually get between 20 and 25 per cent of members attending, with most members travelling at least 15 miles.

If we were to fund someone to attend the BPC in Manchester this year it would cost about £350 for flights or about £176 for a return second class train fare. There would also be accommodation, meals and the registration fees for the conference over and above the mentioned costs. So, to send two delegates, which we would previously have been able to do, could cost more than our branch grant. This cost would always be similar because the BPC is usually held in England and any delegates sent from this branch would nearly always have to travel the furthest distances.

The branch has submitted a motion to the branch representatives' meeting on this subject and hopes that the Council decides to reverse its decision so we have as much of a chance of participating in the BPC as any other branch.

Gordon A. Largue
Secretary

Maurice Hickey
Public Relations Officer
Moray and Banff Branch,
Royal Pharmaceutical Society

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