The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7405 p733
17 June 2006

Society summary

Consultation — have your say on new fitness-to-practise and registration rules

At the beginning of next month, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society will launch a consultation on proposed Rules relating to fitness to practise and registration. This article, the first of three prepared in the Secretary and Registrar's Office, provides an overview of the consultation process

Over three years ago, the Society began its reform with the aim of creating a modern and effective regulatory and professional body. The programme has included:

· Development of the new Royal Charter

· Collaborating with the Department of Health during its production of the draft Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order 2006 (Section 60 Order)

· Development of the Society’s Rules.

The consultation on the draft Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order closes on Monday, 19 June. It was launched by the Department of Health on 27 March 2006.

The Rules and the Section 60 Order

The relationship between the Rules and the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order is that the Rules underpin the Order and specify in detail how the requirements of the Order will be implemented and achieved. Without the Rules, the Order would be ineffective and unworkable.

Remit of the Rules

The Section 60 Order was produced by the Department of Health, but it is the Society’s Council that is responsible for making the Rules under the Order. The Council has been placed at the heart of this process, and during 2005 made many policy decisions that informed these draft Rules.

Particular attention has been given, during the drafting of the Rules, to ensure that the public is protected and that members of the Society are treated fairly. This will be achieved by increased openness and transparency in the decision-making process. The ethos of fairness will also be extended to potential members of the Society, by allowing an appeal against a decision not to register an individual.

So now what?

In the first instance, the Society will be consulting upon the draft Rules relating to fitness to practise and the draft Rules relating to registration. Articles in the next two issues of The Pharmaceutical Journal will look at these new Rules and processes in more detail and consider the implications they have for the Society and its membership.

The consultation process

The consultation process will run for three months and will be aimed at the Society’s membership and its key external stakeholders. It begins on 3 July and ends on 22 September 2006.

What is in the consultation pack?

The consultation pack will be available on the Society’s website at www.rpsgb.org. It comprises three elements:

1. The Rules overview document This document provides an overview of the new draft Rules and procedures and highlights the issues that we hope you will give particular consideration to.

2. Questionnaire We welcome your comments on any aspect of the draft Rules, but we have included in the consultation pack a questionnaire which draws your attention to issues on which we would be particularly grateful for your input. You will be able to complete the questionnaire online, or, if you wish, you can download it and return it to us as hard copy. There is also a facility on the webpage to contact us by e-mail , if you prefer to submit your own free text. The address is rules.consultation@rpsgb.org

3. The draft Rules The draft Rules are categorised into Fitness to Practise and Registration Rules and comprise:

Fitness to Practise
· Procedure of Fitness to Practise Committees Rules
· Membership of Fitness to Practise and Registration Appeals Committees
· Legal, Clinical and Specialist Advisers Rules

Registration
· Registration Rules
· Registration Appeals Rules
· Voluntary Removal from the Register Rules
· Fraud and Error in relation to Registration Rules

Beyond the consultation

At the end of the consultation, your responses and views will be collated and analysed and submitted to the Council for consideration. A final version of the Rules will be presented to the Council in January 2007 for approval.

When the Council has approved the Rules, they will then have to be sent to the Privy Council for approval. It is expected that the Fitness to Practise and Registration Rules will come into force in March or April 2007.

Work on other Rules

In addition to the Rules and processes relating to fitness to practise and registration, work is also under way on the Rules relating to education and continuing professional development. A separate consultation on these draft Rules will be launched later on this year — when, once again, you will be given the opportunity to provide us with your views and comments.