The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7344 p424
9 April 2005

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Letters to the Editor

The profession

Lord Callaghan’s “everlasting impact”

From Dr D. H. Maddock, FRPharmS

With the recent death of Lord Callaghan, members may be interested in the following anecdote concerning his influence on pharmacy. He was elected to Parliament in 1944 for Cardiff South. During the period before he achieved high office, the Pharmaceutical Society’s Council was instrumental in promoting a PR campaign on behalf of the profession. In Cardiff late in 1976, a number of pharmacists decided to “go to the top” setting up a meeting on a Sunday afternoon. Jim Callaghan was known as a friendly and approachable member of Parliament, so it was no surprise when he and George Thomas MP (later Speaker of the House) agreed to address the meeting.

Literally hundreds of pharmacists were there. One of those present in a small group having a general conversation with the MPs was Joe Wright, secretary of the National Pharmaceutical Union. The NPU had originally been formed as the Retail Pharmacists Union, as a consequence of the Jenkin judgment in October 1920.

When Mr Wright introduced himself as the secretary of the NPU, Jim Callaghan immediately responded by asking if the NPU was affiliated to the TUC? One could almost see Joe Wright’s bow tie whizzing around!

At the next board meeting he persuaded the board to change the name to National Pharmaceutical Association. The change was effected on 1 January 1977.

Even senior politicians can make an unlikely everlasting impact on our profession, be it ever so small.

Hopkin Maddock
Padstow, Cornwall

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