The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7349 p571
14 May 2005

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Academic member of Society’s Council appointed

Stephen Denyer, head of the school of pharmacy at Cardiff University, has been appointed as the academic member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Council.

Commenting on the importance of representation across the profession, Professor Denyer said: “Pharmacy is being influenced by change in all its areas of practice. Only by recognising the combined effect of these changes can good responses and good policy evolve.” He added that, as an academic, he will be able to bring to the Council an understanding of the current experience of the student body, their aspirations and expectations and an appreciation of the future scientific and clinical developments which will impinge on the practice of pharmacy.

The lay members of the Council have also been appointed and include equal numbers of men and women. Three current Privy Council nominee members, Phillida Entwistle, Bob Michell and Michael Schofield, have been reappointed, alongside seven new members, increasing the number of lay members to 10. The lay positions were advertised and then the Privy Council approved successful applicants, nominated by the NHS Appointments Commission, to the Society’s Council (see p595).

Commenting on the appointment of lay members, Michael Schofield, who is also an independent assessor for the Commissioner for Public Appointments, said: “The lay membership of the Council has always made an important contribution and will do so even more in the future. It provides an external perspective on the profession in a rapidly changing world.”

New lay member Marcia Saunders, who is chairman of the North Central London Strategic Health Authority, commented: “I think that what I will bring to the Council is an understanding of the role that pharmacists can play, and an enthusiasm for the part they already play, in the modernisation of the health service. Also, as patients, lay members are particularly conscious of the support that both community and hospital pharmacists can provide and the improvements they make to patients’ health. All of us new members come from different backgrounds and I’m sure we’ll all want to give our best to the Council to help it develop its strategy.”