The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7358 p94
16 July 2005

Society summary

Welsh Executive annual general meeting focuses on pharmacy developments in Wales

The latest developments in pharmacy in Wales were highlighted during the annual general meeting of the Welsh Executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society held at Techniquest Science Discovery Centre, Cardiff Bay, on Wednesday 6 July.

Chairing the meeting, Mair Davies, chairman of the Welsh Executive for 2004–05, began by welcoming the Society’s devolution review. She told the audience of 50 pharmacists from across Wales that the Welsh Executive had participated fully in the review and it was now looking forward to working towards the recommendations resulting from the reviw group’s report which was published in January 2005. She urged every member in Wales to engage with the process and to let their views be known.

Mrs Davies went on to focus on the importance of collaboration with key stakeholders to progress pharmacy issues as part of the wider health agenda. In 2004 this had been achieved through the Quality Medicines Management Conference held in November. Facilitated by the Welsh Executive in partnership with the National Public Health Service and the South East Wales Prescribing Advisory Group, the conference had brought together key professionals in Wales with an interest in medicines management. In addition, four regional workshops had been organised, with support from the Welsh Assembly Government and the NPHS, to raise awareness of the services that pharmacy has to offer in the substance misuse field.

Commenting on the work of the executive. Mrs Davies said: “The success of the Welsh Executive depends upon our ability to represent the profession effectively, the profession is you, the members, and communication and collaboration is an essential cog in this wheel of success.”

Participants also heard presentations from Saghir Akhtar, director of the Centre for Genome-based Therapeutics at Cardiff University, and Bill Dawson, managing director of Bionet Ltd, about the impact of pharmacogenetics on pharmacy.

The Welsh Executive’s annual review for 2004 was also launched at the AGM. Copies have been distributed to all pharmacists in Wales and further copies are available on the Welsh Executive’s website (see also PDF 350K) or by contacting Sarah Hickman (tel 029 2041 2800).