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	The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 270 No 7243 p475 5 April 2003	This page Reprint Photocopy
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New Charter

The Council itself might be the smallest, most vocal minority

From Mr J. Martin, MRPharmS

It is good that the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Council is consulting widely on the proposed new Charter. However, I notice from our Council's comments that there may be little point in me responding.

I suspect that my views will put me into the already defined and brushed aside group of "a small but vocal minority who have monopolised much of the debate so far" (PJ, 15 March, p379). Similarly, the President has already said in Chemist and Druggist (22 March, p16) that "all forward thinking pharmacists" will welcome the change. So, again, any views to the contrary can be neatly sidelined as "backward thinking" and, therefore, unworthy of notice. And just in case the Council receives too many disagreements, it has also defined rather heavily the type of comment it will even consider (see "Your views are needed", pull-out, (PDF 165K) PJ, 22 March, p4).

I will be writing to the Council on these matters. I expect to be labelled a loud, backward thinking minority member who is not capable of sticking to the defined limits of acceptable comment (I wish to challenge some of the assumptions made in drafting the new Charter) and my words, therefore, consigned to the appropriate file. I shall write in hope, regardless.

I am surprised that the Charter can be replaced without a specific mandate from the profession. Making this impossible ever to happen again should be high on the list for inclusion in the new Charter. That the Council should attempt this manoeuvre makes it appear that it is unsure of any wide support within the membership. In fact, defence of the Council's actions from outside its current ranks has been deafening by its silence. Perhaps the Council should consider that, in these matters, the smallest, most vocal minority may be itself.

Jonathan Martin
Wallingford, Oxfordshire

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