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	The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 271 No 7275 p678 15 November 2003	This page Reprint Photocopy
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Letters

  Modernisation
  Devolution
  Registration exam
  Concordance
  Law and Ethics
  Dermatix gel

Letters to the Editor

Devolution

Skills, knowledge and experience lost in York Place

From Miss K. Braithwaite, MRPharmS, and others

Pharmacy in Scotland is moving ahead at a fantastic pace. We have extremely close working relationships in Scotland between the Scottish Executive, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland, the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council and pharmacists at the front line. By working together we have successfully rebuffed the Office of Fair Trading recommendation, we are making excellent progress towards a positive contract for community pharmacists in Scotland and we are able to deliver pharmaceutical care, day in, day out, though a wide range of model schemes.

The Society in Lambeth should be working to see how pharmacists in other parts of Britain could benefit from the progress in Scotland, not actively working to destroy it. We are angry that Lambeth has allowed Sheila Stevens and Findlay Hickey, two of the key players in the Scottish Department, to move on too quickly to allow an adequate handover. Their skills, knowledge and years of experience of working for pharmacy in Scotland are too valuable to have been lost in this manner.

Devolution of health has occurred; we cannot change this, whatever our political beliefs. We must now work in this new political framework to achieve the best for patients and the best for pharmacists in Scotland. This cannot be achieved by disrupting York Place.

Karen Braithwaite
Aberlour Pharmacy
Aberlour, Banffshire

Rebecca Hogarth
Pharmacy Manager,
Moray LHCC,
Spynie Hospital, Elgin

C. Mary Mackintosh
Aberlour, Banffshire

ANN LEWIS, Secretary and Registrar, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, replies:

The progress made by the profession in Scotland is indeed recognised and acknowledged as being at the forefront of pharmacy developments across the United Kingdom. A degree of continuity is essential in maintaining this level of progress and is provided by the Society’s Scottish Executive on an ongoing basis. Nigel Graham, in his capacity as the acting Secretary of the Scottish Department, will give local support and assistance to the executive, as an interim arrangement.

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