The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7252 p801
7 June 2003

Society summary

Council accepts concerns about reform and drops pursuit of charitable status

The Council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has acknowledged the concerns expressed by members at the Society's special general meeting on 1 June (see p802) and has agreed to discuss them at its next strategy day, to be held on 2 July.

The Council has also decided not to progress the pursuit of charitable status for the Society for the present.

The Council made its decisions at its meeting on 4 June, when it held a preliminary discussion on the issues raised at the SGM. Acknowledging the strong support expressed within the profession for the object in the current Charter "to maintain the honour and safeguard and promote the interests of the members in their exercise of the profession of pharmacy", the Council said that it would take this and other strong concerns fully into account when considering the potential content of the new Charter once the consultation process was completed.

The Council agreed that it would not be proper to take decisions about the potential content of a new Charter while the consultation process was in progress. The Council said that it wanted to encourage members to attend one of the roadshows or branch meetings on the Charter and to submit their comments.

The Council also reaffirmed that the draft Charter that was currently being consulted upon had been agreed by the Council to be issued solely as a basis for consultation. It had been discussed by the Council but had not been put forward as the Council's preferred draft.