The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7251 p776
31 May 2003

Society summary

Presentation of Charter medals for 2003

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Charter gold medal for 2003 was presented to Professor Stephen Denyer, head of the Brighton school of pharmacy, during a ceremony before the Society's annual general meeting on 14 May. The Charter silver medal was presented to Colin Ranshaw, of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.

Making the presentations, the PRESIDENT, Marshall Davies, said that the Charter medals, instituted in 1963, are awarded by the Council on the recommendation of the President. The gold medal recognises outstanding services rendered by a member to the Society or, generally, in promoting the interests of pharmacy. The silver medal recognises outstanding services rendered by a member locally or to a specific sector of the profession.

The President said that Stephen Denyer graduated in pharmacy from the University of Nottingham in 1975 and went on to obtain a PhD in 1979 before joining the staff at Nottingham as lecturer in pharmaceutical microbiology. After 12 years, he moved to head the department of pharmacy at Brighton as professor of pharmaceutical and applied microbiology.

Professor Denyer has published well over 150 research papers and has co-edited four books, with three further in preparation. Until recently he was chairman of the editorial board for the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology and Pharmacy and Pharmacology Communications. He still serves on the JPP editorial board. His contributions to pharmaceutical science have been recognised in a number of awards and distinctions. Most recently, in 2002, he was the British Pharmaceutical Conference Science Chairman.

He has contributed to the work of a number of national bodies, including the Medical Devices Agency, the Veterinary Products Committee, the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. For some years he has served on the Society's Education Committee and its Degree Accreditation Panel. He is a former chairman of the UK Heads of Schools of Pharmacy Committee. He is a member of the Department of Health Standing Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee.

The President concluded: "He is a great ambassador for pharmaceutical education and his involvement and commitment have been outstanding and his contributions are always well thought out and extremely valuable. His clear thinking makes a significant impact on policy development."

Professor DENYER, in reply, said that being asked to accept the award had come as a wonderful surprise. He found it difficult to believe that he had done enough to deserve it. He owed much to his mentors and colleagues, many of whom he had met through the Society — people with commitment and determination, vision and enthusiasm.

Presenting the silver medal, the PRESIDENT said that Colin Ranshaw's interest in pharmacy politics started at Sunderland Polytechnic, where he served as an elected member of the student representative council, vice-chairman of the hall of residence committee, representative on the staff/student pharmaceutical liaison committee for academic affairs, student representative on the library committee and president of the Sunderland Pharmaceutical Students Association. He was also treasurer and subsequently president of the British Pharmaceutical Students Association.

Mr Ranshaw's present position is principal pharmacist, quality assurance and control, for Cardiff and the Vale NHS Trust. His duties include responsibility for the quality, purity and potency of medicines in hospitals in Wales and for the quality assurance and control of the licensed sterile products unit at the University Hospital of Wales.

Over the years Mr Ranshaw has served on many committees. He is a member of the Society's Modernisation Steering Group, and a member of the Society's Welsh Executive, of which he was chairman from 1998 to 2001.

"Colin has worked tirelessly for the profession and as chairman of the Welsh Executive he led the profession in the rapidly changing political world of devolved governance. It was through his efforts and vision that the Society has housed itself at the very heart of Welsh politics next to the Welsh Assembly."

Mr RANSHAW, in reply, said that he was overwhelmed by the award and extremely grateful for it. He was proud to be able to take it back home to Wales. He paid tribute to the many people who had helped, motivated and supported him over the years.