Review group seeks members’ views on Society and devolution
 Members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society are being urged to give their views on how the organisation should adapt and evolve to meet the political and social challenges brought about by devolution in Scotland and Wales.
A consultation document, published in The Pharmaceutical Journal this
week (p543), asks for members’ general views on devolution, as
well as their specific ideas on how the Society should strengthen itself
to best meet the needs of pharmacists and their patients following devolution.
The consultation document has been drawn up by the Devolution Review
Group, which was set up by the Society’s Council in February. The
12-strong group, chaired by Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, is examining the
issues surrounding devolution in detail and will report back to Council
in early 2005 with its recommendations.
The document begins by setting out the background to the review and,
to help members respond, sets out 20 main functions of the Society, with
examples of the types of activity that come under each function. It goes
on to ask six specific questions about devolution.
The first question is a general one about how the Society should relate
to its members and the pharmacy profession in the three home countries
in its three roles of professional body, regulator and public voice of
pharmacy. The second question relates to the formulation of Society policies
for England, Scotland and Wales as well as for Britain and the acceptability
of implementing a Society policy differently in England, Scotland and
Wales.
Another question concerns the possibility of changing the role, remit
and membership of the Society’s Scottish Executive and Welsh Executive
to reflect devolution. The other three questions relate to the specific
topics
of education policy, European issues and disciplinary hearings.
Michele Savage, the Society’s project manager for the devolution
review said: “As part of its reform programme, the Society now
needs to consider a framework that will reflect devolution in Scotland
and Wales including a review of function, structures and ways of working
and will include the flexibility to extend to any future devolved administration
in England. This is truly about shaping the Society’s future and
the Devolution Review Group needs the views of as many Society members
as possible to help formulate its recommendations for the way forward.”
Members have until 20 November to respond to the consultation.
As well as seeking individual pharmacists’ views through this document,
the review group is consulting representatives of pharmacy bodies in
Wales and Scotland. It is also planning to take further evidence from
some of the key stakeholders groups at meetings in Edinburgh on 26 October
and Cardiff on 8 and 9 November. These meetings are open to members of
the Society. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Michele Savage (tel
020 7572 2547; e-mail michele.savage@rpsgb.org).
A further consultation document is to go out to a wider group of organisations
and bodies outside pharmacy, so that the review group can learn about
their views of devolution and how they have managed the changes it has
brought about.
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