| · Supervision
· Substance misuse
· Classification
· Statins
· Self care
· Oxygen services
· Packaging
· Reciprocity
· Overseas pharmacists
· Council elections
· CPD
· Assisted dying
Letters to the Editor
|
Council elections
This is no time for reluctance
From Mr D. I. Simpson, FRPharmS
Ray Fitzpatrick
and Tony West suggest that there may now be a reluctance
to stand in the election for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s
Council (PJ, March 25, p347). With only eight candidates for the available
five places this year, they might be right.
It could be that the democratic instincts within the profession have
been dulled because over a third of the members of the new Council are
appointed rather than elected and only just over half of the Council
is elected by pharmacists. If that is the case, it is to be regretted.
It is essential that members of the Society are well represented on its
governing body. This is especially important today, with the Government
about to interfere once more in the way that the Society operates — I
am referring to the as yet unknown steps that the Government may take
as a result of the as yet unknown contents of the Foster and Donaldson
reviews of health regulatory bodies. This is no time for members to be
reluctant in coming forward to promote the interests of pharmacists.
As Professor Fitzpatrick and Mr West indicate, there is also another
forum where candidates will soon be needed. This will be for the new
pharmacy board for England. This is to be set up within the Society to
represent the interests of pharmacists working in England. This will
be a more democratic body than the Council, with 80 per cent of its number
being elected by pharmacists. And, yes, there will be a reserved
place for a hospital pharmacist (PJ, February 25, p243); so it is essential
that at least one of their number puts his or her name forward.
I was one of only two Council members who attended all of the meetings
at which the composition of the English board was discussed and made
the initial proposal that it should have sectoral representation. I am
pleased to say that this proposal was eventually accepted by the Council
as a whole.
Douglas Simpson
Member of Council and Council
election candidate
Royal Pharmaceutical Society |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal