The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7241 p388
22 March 2003

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Health and Social Care Bill (PDF 900K)

Privy Council likely to lose its role in Pharmaceutical Society appointments

The Privy Council's role in appointing members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Council and the chairman of its Statutory Committee is likely to be taken over by the National Health Service Appointments Commission.

The change is set out in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill (PDF 900K), which had its first reading in the House of Commons on 12 March.

Schedule 11 of the Bill will amend the Pharmacy Act 1954 to transfer the role from the Privy Council to the commission, which has special health authority status, if the Secretary of State for Health gives a direction for the change to take effect.

Similar changes are also to be made in relation to appointments to the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council, the General Optical Council and the regulatory councils of other health professions.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's director of public affairs, Beverley Parkin, said that the Society had known that an appointments process was to be put in place for the Society's Council and for the chairman of its Statutory Committee.

The Bill also makes provision for the creation of a Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection, which will have power to enter and inspect organisations, such as community pharmacies, which provide health care on behalf of NHS bodies. CHAI inspectors will have power to inspect and copy records, including personal records, and to seize other items.

Beverley Parkin said that the Society was examining the Bill carefully to identify its implications for pharmacy. The Society was concerned that pharmacy should not be over-inspected.

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