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Letters to the Editor
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The Society
New title — what else?
From Mr W. B. Rhodes, FRPharmS
I read the proposal to award an “emeritus” title to those
who have been on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Register for
50 years and to fellows, and the increased fee for non-practising members,
with a mixture of disappointment, uncertainty and modest satisfaction.
Disappointment because we in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Branch had
been pressing, we thought with some success, for more to be done for
non-practising members.
Uncertainty because the regulations for the award of an “emeritus” title
are yet to be drafted and no indication of the time scale for this has
been provided. Furthermore, we are not informed of the benefits that
the title will carry. Will The Journal be provided, can emeritus members
attend branch meetings, annual general meetings and branch representatives’ meetings,
can they vote in elections and will an annual fee be charged? If so,
how much?
I am modestly satisfied because at least something has been done to retain
older members of the profession on the Register.
There will be some veterans of the profession who will be contemplating
leaving the Register on a point of principle and there will be others
who simply cannot afford or justify the increased fees. However, before
making that decision we need to have more information, long before the
retention fee demands arrive.
Those who have been on the Register for over 50 years do not have as
much time left to make up our minds as our political masters, so hurry
up.
Bruce Rhodes
Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Emeritus membership
From Mr I. G. Simpson, FRPharmS
I was delighted to read that the Royal Pharmaceutical Society is to draw
up regulations to allow fellows and members who have been on the Register
for at least 50 years to become members
emeriti when they retire (PJ, 12
August, p201). I should like to congratulate the Society’s Council
on this decision, which I hope will be supported by all pharmacists, as
a way of giving due recognition to the senior members of our profession.
As part of its silver jubilee celebrations, the College of Pharmacy Practice
implemented a similar move this year and has used the same title of “emeritus
membership” for its members who are no longer on the practising part
of the Society’s Register. Bringing in this change involved amending
the college articles of association to remove the requirement that all
members, of whatever category, must be registered pharmacists, and replace
it with an article giving the college governors power to make membership
regulations. The whole process took about 18 months from inception to implementation
and consisted of the following stages:
· Drafting amended articles of association for approval by governors
as a consultation document
· Consultation on the amended articles
· Revision of the amended articles in the light of the consultation
· Presentation of the amended articles at the annual general meeting — it
was decided that a postal ballot involving all members should be held
· Carrying out the postal ballot. As a result, the amended articles
were approved
· Submission of the amended articles to Companies House and the Charity
Commission, both of which gave their approval
· Drafting new membership regulations for approval by governors as
a consultation document
· Consultation on the regulations
· Revision of the regulations in the light of the consultation
· Approval of the regulations by governors
· Implementation of the regulations on 1 January, to coincide with
the 25th anniversary of the founding of the college
The college also took the opportunity to introduce honorary fellowship
and to allow preregistration trainees to join as student associates, thus
giving the possibility of life-long membership of the college. Honorary
fellowship certificates were presented at the college Schering award dinner
on 19 June and emeritus membership certificates were presented at the college
AGM the following day, when the first two student associates were also
welcomed.
I realise that the restrictions placed upon the Society by the Charter,
the Health Act and the Medicines Act are probably more complex than those
imposed on the college by the Companies Acts and the Charity Act and I
wish the Council and the Society’s staff every success as they develop
and implement the new regulations. Having steered the college through the
process, I would be pleased to give help and advice if required.
Ian Simpson
Chief Executive and Company Secretary
College of Pharmacy Practice |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal