The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7241 p416
22 March 2003

Society summary

Society briefs Welsh health minister on its reform plans

The Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services, Jane Hutt, has been given a briefing on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's plans to reform its role, remit and ways of working to create a modern, effective and efficient regulatory and professional body for pharmacy.

The briefing took place on 18 March, when the Minister and civil servants met the Society's President (Marshall Davies), Secretary and Registrar (Ann Lewis), Welsh Executive Chairman (Andrea Robinson) and Welsh Executive Secretary (Cath O'Brien).

Mrs Robinson told the minister that the Welsh Executive, as an integral part of the Society, is equally committed to meeting its responsibilities to the public and the profession. She said: "As a professional body, the Society seeks to lead and develop the profession. The Welsh Executive is responsible for implementing Society policy here in Wales and it will continue to take a lead in progressing developments in Wales."

The Minister heard that the Society recognises the need for devolution within its modernisation programme. Although regulation of the pharmacy profession has not been devolved and the Society will be accountable to the Westminster Parliament, there is recognition that both the Welsh Assembly Government and the Scottish Parliament have health policy responsibilities and are developing their own strategies and priorities.

Mrs Robinson said that, with service delivery differing in the three home countries, the new approach to professional self-regulation is implicit in documents emerging in Wales and Scotland. "We recognise the importance of working with the Welsh Assembly Government to support developments in pharmacy for the people of Wales," she said.

The Minister also heard that the Society's reformed Council would include at least one pharmacist from each of Wales, Scotland and England. The pharmacists filling these reserved places would be elected by members of the Society in the relevant country. The government chief pharmacists of Wales, Scotland and England would be invited to attend appropriate parts of Council meetings and to contribute to debate, but would not have voting rights.