The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7304 p780
19 June 2004

Society summary

Society intends to play a leading role in Ask About Medicines Week 1–6 November 2004

The Society intends to play a leading role in Ask About Medicines Week 2004, which it sees as an opportunity for pharmacy to demonstrate its value to the public and the NHS.

The Society was a partner in the first Ask About Medicines Week, which ran from 12 to 18 October 2003. The campaign was organised by an executive group that included the Task Force on Medicines Partnership, which is based in the Society’s headquarters building.

At the June Council meeting, the Council considered a report on the Society’s involvement in AAMW. The report concluded that the objectives of AAMW are core territory for pharmacists in a way that many other pharmacy-based health campaigns are not. AAMW aims to cover not just community pharmacy but also hospitals, primary care trusts, general practice and patient groups.This offers an opportunity for pharmacists to use the campaign as a way of underlining their value to the local health community and strengthening relationships with other players such as PCTs.

The report urged the Society to take an active and engaged role in AAMW 2004, which runs from 1 to 6 November. By doing so, the report said, it would create opportunities to shape and guide the 2004 campaign for the benefit of pharmacy as well as for medicine users and the NHS.

The Council also received a presentation on Ask About Medicines Week from Joanne Shaw, director of the Medicines Partnership.

On the recommendation of the report, the Council agreed that the Society will work with the AAMW executive to develop a leaflet or poster for pharmacy, as a key component of the campaign. It will also co-ordinate communication about AAMW to pharmacists and look for opportunities to promote AAMW to them.

It will encourage Society branches and pharmacy development groups to organise events during the week. It will contribute £15,000 to the core campaign organisation and will encourage other pharmacy organisations to support and contribute to the campaign.

The Council also agreed to identify a Council member and an Officer to lead and co-ordinate the Society’s involvement in AAMW and nominate a Council member to join the AAMW advisory group.