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Letters to the Editor
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The Council
Why are expenses so high?
From Mr M. W. Jackson, MRPharmS
Keen followers of pharmaceutical affairs will not have missed reading
the latest Annual Review for 2005 (PDF 1.7MB). If so, one will have read
with great interest of the activities of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s
Council and the remuneration for their efforts.
This is something that concerns me and should interest all members who
pay their large “subs” to the Society on a regular basis.
In 2005, 41 Council members were paid a grand total of £480,744–£240,000
for attendance, £49,000 for their locum fees and almost £80,000
for hotels and subsistence. Linda Stone claimed a total of £35,575
and Gillian Hawksworth, nearly £47,000. These figures are mind-boggling
and are almost reaching MPs’ salaries. Why is it necessary to incur
such expense to the payment of hotel bills when there is a perfectly adequate
rail system in order to return home?
I used to imagine Council members would seek election for the benefit of
their profession, without any reward and only their expenses. How naive
was I? Now it appears to be a business and one can understand the competition
for office in order to be selected and enjoy the “jollies”.
I only hope that members of the Council, before they lay their heads on
the pillow of their favourite hotel bedroom, will ask themselves one simple
question: “What have I accomplished today to improve the profession’s
public relations and to make pharmacy a better place to earn one’s
livelihood?” It is not profitable at the moment.
Maurice Jackson
Brent Knoll,
Somerset |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal