The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7208 p133-134
27 July 2002

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Letters to the Editor

Modernisation

Not about destroying the Council

From Miss A. M. Lewis, FRPharmS

John Ferguson asks: "Why is there a need to destroy the structure [of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Council] rather than adapting it to meet current requirements?" (PJ, 20 July, p101).

The work to modernise the structure of the Council is, in fact, precisely about finding the best way to adapt to the new requirements and has nothing whatsoever to do with destroying the Council. The issues in question are the need to increase the lay representation on the Council — which will continue to have a majority of pharmacists — and to improve the structure and ways of working so that the Council benefits from a wider range of professional advice from pharmacists.

Mr Ferguson says that he would not want increased lay membership of the Society's Council to be made up of "Government appointees delegated to pursue a specific agenda". From his experience of working with the Council, he well knows that the role of the lay members on the Council is to uphold the public interest. He will also know what an immensely valuable contribution to the business of the Council has been made by the three lay members who, under the 1954 Pharmacy Act, are nominated to the Society's Council by the Privy Council

The process by which lay members of the Council will be appointed in future has yet to be considered in detail but it will be expected to follow Nolan principles on accountability in public life. It is likely that the process will take account of the guidance of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, with open advertisement of positions. This was followed for the appointment of the chairman of the Statutory Committee. The aim would not be to seek members as representatives of particular groups but to attract relevant experience, knowledge and skills to strengthen the Council's work.

Ann Lewis
Secretary and Registrar
Royal Pharmaceutical Society

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