Concern expressed over lack of pharmacist involvement in the leadership and governance of pharmacy degree courses
A motion expressing concern at the lack of a requirement for pharmacist involvement in the leadership and governance of pharmacy degree courses was carried by the branch
representatives' meeting without dissent.
James Johnson (Glasgow and West of Scotland) moved: “That the Society
should ensure that universities have clearly defined arrangements for
professional leadership and governance of professional elements of registerable
courses.”
He said that the motion was particularly relevant because of the increasing
number of schools of pharmacy and the Society’s “Fit for
the future” initiative.
Dr Johnson said that on medical, dental and nursing courses there are
joint NHS academic appointees teaching, and the head is always a member
of the relevant profession. But pharmacy has different origins and many
schools are in universities where clinical professions are not taught
and professional requirements are less well understood. In a profession
that now has many interfaces with patients, professionals and the public,
the situation is less tenable.
With current accreditation requirements, it is possible for a university
to have no practising pharmacist involved in teaching professional elements
within its senior management structure. The post of head of school of
pharmacy may filled by someone who is not a pharmacist — a situation
accepted by the Society because of a shortage of academic pharmacists.
And there is no requirement for a professional leader at senior level
in the academic structure to guarantee quality of teaching and teachers.
The Council’s requirement that at least one professor should be
a pharmacist is outdated as this person could be a teacher of chemistry,
or any other subject, and the position may not necessarily have a high
input into governance arrangements within the school.
This arrangement is not acceptable, Dr Johnson said. Support for the
motion would inform the Society’s recently announced “Fit
for the future” initiative and, he hoped, would improve the profession,
patient care, and, in turn, academic career structure within the profession.
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