Society needs to focus on members, says President
The new Officers Group: left to right, Andrew Gush, Ann Lewis (Secretary
and Registrar), Hemant Patel, Martin Astbury, Phillida Entwistle
and David Thomson |
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society needs to focus on improving its engagement
with its members and become increasingly “member focused”,
the President, Hemant Patel, suggested following his election to a third
consecutive term of office (PJ, 9 June, p687).
After his election at the June
Council meeting, Mr Patel said that the
Society needed to be more more friendly, inclusive, persuasive and open.
The regulatory role had done it no favours in that area and much work
remained to be done.
Mr Patel’s address is set out in the Panel below.
In the election of the Society’s Officers for 2007–08, Mr
Patel was nominated to continue as President by David Thomson. Douglas
Simpson seconded the nomination.
There being no other nominations, Mr Patel was declared elected for a
further year.
The President took the chair and asked for nominations for the post of
Vice-President.
Jonathan Buisson, seconded by Sylvia Hikins, nominated Brian Curwain.
Dorothy Drury, seconded by David Carter, nominated Martin Astbury.
While a ballot was being prepared, the President paid tribute to the
current Vice-President, Gerald Alexander, who had not offered himself
for office. Mr Alexander had been a supportive member of the Officers
Group and would remain on the Council. “I would urge him after
this year to consider standing again for one of the posts of the Officers
in the coming years,” the President said. “ We will need
all the help and expertise available to us.”
In the ballot for the election of the Vice-President, Mr Astbury polled
17 votes and Dr Curwain 12 votes. Mr Astbury was declared election.
Mr Astbury said that he vowed to do his best as Vice-President and hoped
all Council members would aspire to the aim of making a large difference
for patients and pharmacy.
Proceeding to the election of the Treasurer, the President said that
the current Treasurer, John Jolley, had served in the post for three
years, which was the maximum allowed under the Council’s governance
procedures. He thanked Mr Jolley for his contribution.
In the election of a new Treasurer, Mr Thomson nominated Andrew Gush.
He was seconded by Lesley Morgan.
Steven Denyer, seconded by Sylvia Hikins, proposed Brian Curwain.
In a ballot, Mr Gush polled 18 votes and Dr Curwain 11 votes. Mr Gush
was declared elected as Treasurer.
Mr Gush said that he felt honoured and privileged to be elected. The
Council would have his full commitment.
Mr Jolley thanked the Council for electing him Treasurer for each of
the the past three years. He wished Mr Gush every success.
In the election of a lay member to work with the Officers, Bob Michell,
seconded by Graham Phillips, nominated Phillida Entwistle.
Marcia Saunders, seconded by Ray Jobling, nominated Alan Kershaw.
In a ballot, Dr Entwistle polled 17 votes and Mr Kershaw 12 votes. Dr
Entwistle was declared elected.
Professor Michell, who had served in the post for the past two years,
said that it had been a privilege and pleasure to work alongside the
Officers and he admired their commitment. It was important that the lay
member was not an Officer but worked with the Officers as a critical
friend. He could think of no one better to do this than Dr Entwistle,
with her ability to listen carefully, think hard and deliver wise, crisp,
concise insight. She was exactly what was needed to encourage the Council
and warn them where appropriate.
In the election of an additional member of Council to work with the Officers
in the absence of an immediate past president on the Council, Mr Gush
nominated David Thomson to succeed Mr Astbury in the role. Dr Entwistle
seconded the nomination.
Lorna Jacobs, seconded by Mr Jobling, nominated Jonathan Buisson.
In a ballot, Mr Thomson polled 17 votes and Mr Buisson 12. Mr Thomson
was declared elected.
Mr Phillips said that he would not want the opportunity to pass without
paying tribute to Professor Michell’s work over the past few years.
He expressed extreme gratitude to him for the work he had done on behalf
of the Society.
The President’s address
to the Council after his re-election
The following is an abbreviated transcript
of the President’s
address to the Council after his
re-election at the June
Council meeting.
Council, thank you once again for electing
me President of the Society. I am proud of the achievements of
this Society but also
recognise a need for change. We are excellent in a number of areas:
education, training and continuing professional development support;
strategy for the pharmacy profession; developing a better picture
of the pharmacy workforce; practice research; pharmacy publications;
and — despite all the criticisms — influencing Government
and legislation. This can be improved on, but these are good examples
of success that must not be ignored or forgotten.
However, more
could be done in professional development and raising standards,
developing leadership skills at a local level and exciting new
roles in public health and clinical areas. More could be done
to support branches, pharmacy students and retired members. I want
the Society and the future professional body to have a cradle-to-grave
relationship with our pharmacists that is mutually supportive
and
beneficial. I still want to bring back the members who left the
Society in anger in recent years. This year we must take some
action to correct the sad situation we find ourselves in and re-establish
our reputation as a caring membership organisation.
I stated, and Council supported, my ambition to help make Britain
the safest place in the world to receive medicines. I intend
to take advantage of growing support, both within the profession
and
outside. So, by basing our work on doing social good and putting
the public first, our position in the wider world as health care
professionals is more valued.
This takes me to the linked point of our style of working, which
must become more friendly, inclusive, persuasive and open. The
regulatory role has done us no favours in this area and we have
much work to do. As President at this historic time of great
and rapid change, which will see the separation of dual roles,
I intend
to focus on a number of key tasks. These are: • To keep sight of our purpose and continue to serve members and
the public
• To maintain the Society’s strategic functions, core and
leadership services before handing over to the General Pharmaceutical
Council and a future professional body
• Without delay to mandate the emergence of change effectively
and start to separate the professional role and regulatory role
• To better support and engage the branches and members and continue
to engage with other pharmacy bodies
• To communicate with members, branches and others
While focusing on key tasks, it is important that we must in parallel
be cognisant of the risks that may blow us away from our desired
objectives. The risks are:
• That we will lose sight of the wider regulatory and professional
development and leadership agenda
• That we fail to manage resources adequately
• That an overfocus on change will distract us from delivering
our core tasks to the highest standard and as a result our credibility
will be damaged
• That we become focused on the process of change and not the purpose
of change
We have a clear and strong sense of purpose. What the profession
and others will be watching for is consistent application of values,
whether the Society is membership-focused or not, and whether we
are paying attention to detail. There has never been a greater
need for transparency, accountability to members overtly demonstrating
we are not only listening to members, but supporting them nationally
and locally to realise their aspirations.
The new Officers and Council, with support from members and staff,
must aim to create a successful change for the Society that will
result in the formation of a new professional body and a General
Pharmaceutical Council. This means that we must have a clear focus
on priorities, a careful planning of our activities, attention
to process review of internal and external communication, strengthen
strategy and relationships. The most precious of these is relationships
with members.
By the time of the British Pharmaceutical Conference in September,
we must come up with a plan to better support members old and new
and win their trust, so we can become the authoritative voice for
members of this Society in the wider world. I look forward to working
with you all and taking the profession forward with a secure future
and the responsive professional body that the membership is craving
for and deserves. |
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal