The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7257 p48
12 July 2003

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  Modernisation
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Letters to the Editor

CPD

How foolish to disregard experience and knowledge

From Dr N. D. Harris, FRPharmS

I wholeheartedly support David Shenton's comments (PJ, 5 July, p13). Lay people are able to talk to groups, promoting remedies which are of doubtful value and sometimes hazardous. How foolish to discard the knowledge and experience of retired pharmacists.

I retired nearly 20 years ago and have been on the Register for over 50 years. I taught pharmaceutics for about 30 years, finally running the clinical pharmacy unit at the Chelsea school of pharmacy, and I am co-author of the successful undergraduate textbook 'Pathology and therapeutics for pharmacists'. Fortunately, I am still active mentally and have run for many years well-supported courses for the University of the Third Age, a registered charity, on "Microbes and man" and "Diseases and medicines". I am currently preparing a course on genetics. Further, I participate in an "Interest in science" group and occasionally talk to lay groups on pharmaceutical, medical and scientific topics.

For all of these I have necessarily had to read the current literature extensively. These activities keep me mentally and physically active — if you do not use it you lose it — and in the process promote the image of pharmacy.

I have always been proud to belong to the profession but when mandatory continuing professional development becomes effective I have no intention of engaging in the bureaucratic business of justifying my activities. If the current proposals come into force I will simply resign from the register. I commend this regrettable course of action to Mr Shenton and others in a similar position.

Norman Harris
Emeritus Reader in Pharmaceutics
King's College London

Foambrain!

From Mr M. J. Moon, MRPharmS

Recently I received from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society a letter containing information about continuing professional development. I will, it would seem, shortly be receiving a CPD pack which will get me started, and the Society would prefer me to keep my records online. I would like to point out that the only line I have is a washing line.

I have been given a username and password in order that I might log on — or is it log in? The password I have been given is "foambrain"! Well, well. Am I known at head office? Perhaps I have a reputation since I do write to you now and again.

M. J. Moon
Bristol

Where is the common sense?

From Mr A. Phillips, MRPharmS

Some things never change. The old woman who used to work in our fruit shop can, and indeed invariably does, give out health information on a voluntary basis. But apparently, according to Robert Dewdney (PJ, 5 July, p13), the retired pharmacist may not, even to correct erroneous statements, I assume. Where is the common sense in that? Long may they rule in their ivory towers.

Alun Phillips
Liverpool

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