The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7211 p230
17 August 2002

Society summary

Members' retention fee to rise 4.8pc

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Council decided at its August meeting to seek approval for an increase in the statutory fees, to take effect from 1 January 2003.

For membership fees, the changes would represent an overall increase of about 4.8 per cent, with the retention fee for those in full-time employment rising from £186 to £195 and the part-time fee rising from £105 to £110. For pharmacy premises, fees would increase by an average of 4.1 per cent, which would see the standard premises retention fee rising from £97 to £101. New registrations would increase from £150 to £156 and restorations would increase from £310 to £323. Other membership and premises fees would increase by similar percentages.

The Society says that the proposed fees are based upon a rigorous budgeting process for the coming year to ensure that costs are retained at a level that enables the necessary work of the Society to be carried out while obtaining the best value. Included in the work for 2003 is:

• Continuation of the Society's programme of reforms towards becoming a modern regulator

• Implementation of the programme for continued professional development that began in 2002

• Significant work on the membership database management to improve accuracy and regulatory compliance

• Necessary work on maintaining and improving governance

• Work to comply with various new pieces of legislation, including those on diversity and equality

• Continuation of the programme of renovation of the Society's headquarters to improve working conditions and retain or improve the value of the building and enhance compliance with health and safety regulations

Finally, the Society continues with its plan to produce moderate operating surpluses over a period of years to restore the reserves to a prudent level.

For members' fees, the Society must obtain the approval of the Privy Council for an alteration to the Society's Byelaws. In the case of premises fees, the Society must make a submission to the Secretary of State for Health for the proposed fees to be fixed by Statutory Order.

The proposed fee scale is given in the table below, with the 2002 figures for comparison.