DOROTHY DRURY, Council election candidate, replies:

I am delighted to reply to Mr Schofield and, I hope, gain another vote in the coming election. In answer to all the questions in order, I stood for election last year because I wanted to be involved with the future of pharmacy. I was not reluctant to stand but did not expect to be voted onto the Council as there were existing Council members seeking re-election. However, the members of the Society did not re-elect some of the previous Council as they were obviously unhappy with their achievements. I am standing again and it is a privilege to represent the members.

My accomplishments on the Council include highlighting the day-to-day problems that pharmacists face, such as the new oxygen contract. I was involved in the devolved boards and I support the formation of the English board as this will give professional direction to pharmacists. I have attended all the regional meetings that have been allocated to me. I believe in getting to grips with the problems that face community and hospital pharmacists. I keep in touch with my former hospital colleagues and wish to unite all members, whatever their special area of work may be.

I was pleased to attend the meeting in Sunderland with the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK with some local pharmacists as well as technicians. I believe my position on skill mix to be similar to the Society’s. I would like to point out that the tone of this meeting was not about skill mix but total withdrawal of the pharmacist from community pharmacies. Here is the proof. When I said that pharmacists were needed to screen prescriptions I was told this was not necessary as the computer did it. When I mentioned that the discussion at the Society was on-going and that certain issues such as the dispensing of Controlled Drugs were being looked at, I was told that there was no need for pharmacists to be present for this either.

I am not the one who is ignorant on POM-to-P changes or the “Ask your pharmacist” campaign. Indeed, how can you have an “Ask your pharmacist” campaign when you do not have one in the pharmacy? The position of the Society is to promote the profession and allow the safe and effective treatment of the public. I am in favour of using my skills to the full and would like to offer the new services in the NHS contract. Nobody has lampooned support staff qualifications and there should be no offence in the reality of the differences of the master of science plus a registration year and that of the NVQ. Both are important but that does not mean that they are equal. I have had excellent support staff who have worked in non-dispensing roles, eg, health computer systems or the pricing bureau — these do not involve dispensing duties.

There are many issues which need to be looked at, including 100-hour pharmacies. My personal answer to this would be that the pharmacy would have to have a pharmacist for 100 hours. This is important if supervision is relaxed.

I would like to hope that Mr Schofield will vote for me, and that I can confirm that I have amazing foresight.