The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7213 p299
31 August 2002

Society summary

Nine past presidents visit Society to discuss the future

Nine of 11 past presidents of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society who recently expressed their joint concern about the Society's future direction have met to discuss the issues with the President (Marshall Davies) and colleagues.

After the meeting, held at the Society's Lambeth headquarters on 22 August, the President gave an assurance that the Council would carefully examine the issues raised.

The meeting followed the publication in The Journal of a letter in which the past presidents expressed concern that the modernisation process see the Society's professional representative function subjugated to its regulatory role (PJ, 6 July, p15). The letter supported a Society structure in which the professional representative role would continue to be performed by a body similar to the present Council, with a substantial lay membership involved only in the regulatory functions required by the Government.

The signatories who attended the meeting were Jim Bannerman (president 1975–77), John Balmford (1978–79), David Sharpe (1979–81), Colin Hitchings (1983–84), Dr Hopkin Maddock (1984–85), Professor Geoff Booth (1985–87), David Coleman (1991–93), Nick Wood (1993–94) and Ian Caldwell (1996–97). The two who did not attend were Bill Darling (1970–72) and Marion Rawlings (1989–90).

Commenting on the meeting, the President said: "It has been a pleasure to discuss the issues involved in such eminent company. It was a constructive and open discussion about the kind of organisation people want to see and the anxieties that members have. All the issues raised will be looked at carefully as the Council considers how to build on our record of achievement while meeting the needs of the modern environment."