The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7343 p389-390
2 April 2005

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· Anticoagulation services
· RFID tagging
· Repeat dispensing (2)
· Council election (5)
· PI insurance (2)
· Generics
· Prescription charges
· Medicines for children
· The Society
· CPD
· The register (2)
· The Journal (2)

Letters to the Editor

Council election

Voters have an unenviable task

From Mr M. Astbury, MRPharmS and Mr S. I. Wells, MRPharmS

Pharmacists have the unenviable task of analysing Council election candidates’ statements. Who represents them? Who represents himself or herself? Who represents the Department of Health? Does the hangman represent the condemned at the pre-execution committee?

We and another member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Council discussed at length the best way of obtaining a council that would not be afraid to stand up against the Department of Health and, in some cases, Lambeth itself.

We decided that giving our support to the Save Our Society pledge was the correct way forward. The pledge coincided with our aim to take back the Society for its members.

We cannot guarantee that the SOS candidates will always vote correctly. What we can guarantee is that their hearts are in the right place. Also, what concerns us is the lack of co-ordination when implementing new initiatives and the way our policies are driven and pre-approved by pseudo-civil servants isolated from the membership. Would pharmacists not rather have a “listening” Society that can act upon the ideas and aspirations of its grassroots workforce, not least through its individual branches? Where has the power gone to change policy from the bottom up?

Martin Astbury
Chester
Council Election Candidate
Steve Wells
Abergele, Conwy
Council Election Candidate

Young and newly qualified pharmacists must vote

From Mr N. P. S. Sewak, MRPharmS

With the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Council election under way, I urge all pharmacists, especially young and newly qualified pharmacists, to exercise their right and vote in this year’s election to ensure that the right candidates are elected. It is especially important that there are both young and old representatives on the Council so that there is voice for all. With so many pressing issues affecting young pharmacists, including continuing professional development, independent prescribing, retention fees and the new community pharmacy contract, there has never been a more exciting time to enter this stimulating profession.

Traditionally the turnout among young pharmacists has been poor but with a completely new Council being elected this year it is an ideal opportunity to choose some new faces to represent the profession. I hope that young and newly qualified pharmacists seize this opportunity and make their votes count.

Navin Sewak
IT Officer
Young Pharmacists Group

Integrity and professionalism

From Mrs Linda Stone, FRPharmS

As one who cares passionately for our profession I thought long and hard before putting pen to paper. I believe in integrity and professionalism and I wish to put on record my very grave concerns that certain recent statements seem to have been made with the potential to mislead.

Some election candidates are claiming that they will “reverse” certain Council decisions, in particular the recent change in the fee structure. Remember, this is the fee structure recommended by the committee chaired by the Vice-President and endorsed by the Officers. This same fee structure could not have been adopted by Council if it had not been supported by a majority of Council members. These Council members included some Save Our Society supporters who are now standing in the election.

Linda Stone
Council Election Candidate
Solihull, West Midlands

The Society needs to be balanced

From Mr M. A. Walker, MRPharmS

Your leading article (PJ, 12 March, p286) makes a mistake in hoping that the new Council will be balanced. It is the Royal Pharmaceutical Society which needs to be balanced, not the Council. For many years in my view, the Society’s staff have mainly pursued a regulatory agenda. Charitable status and the Charter debacle are clear examples of Lambeth’s direction. In order to counterbalance the Lambeth focus, we, the ordinary members, need a Council which gives a strong representative focus. I voted for the Save Our Society candidates in the expectation that this will lead to a representative Council and a balanced Society.

Mark Walker
Oxford

A tasteless and inarticulate object

From Professor J. B. Harris, MRPharmS

Although I have worked for most of my life as a teacher and researcher in a medical school I have retained my membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. I have done so because the early training I received in pharmacy has contributed greatly to my academic life. I have always voted in Council elections but the card I recently received inviting me to vote for a slate of candidates in the elections to Council was without precedent.

Fifteen names were put forward. They seem to have little in common but an interest in the Save Our Society campaign. The card was sent to an outdated address in the University of Newcastle, was printed in “tabloid” style and asked me whether I thought the Society’s plan to call me “non-practising” was barmy (sic) and suggested that some sanity should return to the Society’s affairs. The card was written with poor regard for grammar and syntax. I found the actions of those who produced the card demeaning, unprofessional and unhelpful.

Like most members, I wish the Society to remain a highly respected, professional and learned society. Our Council is dealing with a range of challenging societal changes that influence the way the general public views the professions and with long overdue reforms to the way we govern ourselves. We shall do nothing to retain the respect of our fellow professionals by openly circulating such tasteless and inarticulate objects as the card or by electing to the Council members of our Society with a shallow appreciation of the potential strength of the Society.

I do hope that the candidates named by the author(s) of the card had nothing to do with its production or circulation.

John Harris
Professor of Experimental Neurology
University of Newcastle

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