The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7228 p866
14 December 2002

Society summary

Council to seek charitable status for Society

The Council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society is to seek charitable status for the Society. At its December meeting, the Council decided that it wishes to secure the benefits of registration of the Society with the Charity Commission, the statutory organisation that regulates charities, by December 2003 or soon afterwards.

The Society's many functions as a regulatory, professional and benevolent organisation for pharmacists appear to be closely aligned with the criteria for charitable status. Registration as a charity would bring the Society several benefits, notably a potential saving in taxation and business rates of as much as £5.5m over five years.

The Society's President, Marshall Davies, said: "The Council has a responsibility to manage the Society's resources in accordance with the principles of good governance, including minimising the Society's exposure to unnecessary expenditure. The Council discussed this proposal at length and saw only benefit in it. The Council therefore agreed to begin to explore how the Society might gain registration with the Charity Commission as soon as possible."

Health care organisations that have charitable status include the General Medical Council, the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.