The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7235 p206
8 February 2003

Society summary

Nominations sought for Council election

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is calling for nominations of pharmacists to serve as members of Council (p208). The closing date for nominations is 18 March.

The Council’s 21 pharmacists serve three-year terms of office, with seven retiring each year. This year Dr Gordon Appelbe, Hassan Argomandkhah, Peter Curphey, Alison Ewing, Dr Nicola Gray, Kirit Patel and Linda Stone will retire. They are all eligible to seek re-election, but Dr Appelbe has announced that, after 12 years’ Council service, he does not intend to stand again. The retiring members’ attendance records at Council meetings during the past two years are also published this week (p208).

We also reproduce this week the Council’s policy on Council elections (p208). As a general principle, the Council considers that the election should be conducted so as to give all candidates an equal opportunity of presenting their views. The Council has set out criteria that it believes will prevent candidates having an advantage over their colleagues by virtue of their financial resources or other special influence.

The document says that sending out statements of policy with the voting papers allows candidates the maximum freedom of expression and is the only practical method of presenting candidates’ unedited views to the membership. The Council objects to candidates seeking votes through canvassing or letters to pharmacy journals. It does not object to branch or regional newsletters publishing the views of candidates on any topic, provided that all candidates are given an equal opportunity to participate. Similarly, the Council does not object to branches or regions arranging meetings at which candidates express their views, provided that those candidates who cannot attend may have a statement read to the meeting.

This week we also publish a call for nominations for election to the committee of the Society’s Community Pharmacists Group (see p209). The seven elected places fall vacant at the end of May. Nominations should be submitted by 14 March, signed by at least five members of the group.