The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7254 p859
21 June 2003

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  Modernisation
  The Profession
  The Charter
  Drug tariff
  BNF
  Rural alliance

Letters to the Editor

The Profession

Where does the profession stand?

From Miss S. D. Patel, MRPharmS

I have followed the debate regarding the inclusion of non-pharmacists onto the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Council, and I can understand the views of those for and against change. Certainly it is important for us to have mechanisms in place to ensure that public safety is not compromised over professional self interest. However, pharmacists nevertheless need to be represented by a body that is pro-active and aggressive in ensuring that the profession is kept at the heart of health care delivery and in maintaining the interests of its members.

In comparison to our nursing and doctor colleagues how do we fair? My heart sinks as the debate over patient packs ambles on — is anyone actually listening to what pharmacists have to say? And that pharmacists are to have some role in NHS Direct is not something to be applauded, the simple fact is that vigorous representation and promotion of the profession should have meant that we were on board from day one, not as some kind of afterthought. Why is the progress of the profession allowed to be so reactive, jumping through hoops merely to be noticed? After reading the small print, even the much talked about pharmacist prescribing is not the sea change for the mass ranks of pharmacists that we were led to believe.

My preregistration trainee qualifies this year and I have to ask myself what purpose the four-year degree has served when the working reality he faces is no different from those who joined the register 10 years ago. Perhaps he should have done a nursing degree since nurses seem to be doing a lot of the things that we could and should be doing.

While time and members' money is spent on "crucial" progress, such as having two registers, health care is in the midst of great change, bringing with it many opportunities but also many pitfalls. As the role of pharmacy technicians expands pharmacy practice in hospital and community will change because employers will use the benefits technicians will bring. Pharmacists need to be championed by a body that is effective and vigorous in keeping pharmacy alive, or the job security that we enjoy — currently from graduation through to retirement — will not continue.

Sittal Patel
London SE19

Roadshows are set to collide

From Mr L. M. Hurst, MRPharmS

I note that the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee's opening roadshow on "The new contract", in London, on the evening of 30 June is scheduled to collide with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's final roadshow on "Fit for the future". Unless these two worthy organisations enter into a pact to share the platform, quite a bit of food could be wasted.

Larry Hurst
Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire

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