The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7216 p392-394
21 September 2002

This page
Reprint
Photocopy

PDF* 65K

  Community pharmacy
  Diabetes
  Antipsychotics
  Immunisation
  The Profession
  Smoking cessation
  Modernisation
  Workforce census
  The Society

Letters to the Editor

Modernisation

Support for the branches undermined

From Mr A. Nathan, FRPharmS

I was surprised at the suggestion in the discussion paper published with The Journal on 10 August and repeated in the summary in the 24 August issue that in future candidates in Council elections need not require at least half of those nominating them to be members of their own local branch of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. I was taken aback, as I believe many members who support their branches would be, by the suggestion that requiring candidates to do so might "disadvantage pharmacists from specialist areas of practice, those who have national rather than local reputations, and those whose work makes it difficult for them to participate in branch activities".

In the first place, I cannot see how any pharmacist could be possibly disadvantaged by supporting their local branch. And I cannot believe that any pharmacist, no matter how busy or important they may believe themselves to be, cannot spare a few evenings a year to attend some branch meetings.

This suggestion undermines support for the branches and more or less dismisses them as unimportant, when in fact prospective and serving Council members should be encouraged to set an example and attend and take an active part in their activities. Among several valuable functions of branches which would serve Council members well, are those of a sounding board for policy ideas and keeping an ear to the ground for grassroots opinions on issues affecting the profession.

Most Council members are already too far distanced from the members they profess to represent, so they should not be encouraged to make themselves even more remote. When returning The Journal's second questionnaire, in which the question about nominators is asked, may I suggest to members that they comment that no candidate should be allowed to stand for Council unless they have the endorsement of their local branch?

Alan Nathan
London N21

Send your letter to The Editor

Previous Topic (Smoking cessation)
Next Topic (Workforce census)