Scottish annual meeting speakers stress need for strong leadership
Speakers at the 2007 annual meeting of members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland emphasised the need for strong professional leadership as the changes set out in the White Paper on the regulation of health professionals are implemented.
The first speaker at the meeting, held at the Society’s Scottish
Office in Edinburgh on 12 June, was the President of the Society, Hemant
Patel, who outlined the background to the separation of the Society’s
regulatory and professional roles Society and the formation of a General
Pharmaceutical Council and a “body akin to a royal college”.
Mr Patel summarised the Society’s actions so far and stressed the
need to involve every member of the profession and key stakeholders in
the changes. He understood that some members would be unaware, confused
or disillusioned but emphasised that the future of the professional body
depended on the views of its members. Indeed, he welcomed a fierce debate
on the professional role, stressing that it should focus on aims and
functions rather than name and structure.
The President added that the Society was to work with a research agency
in the near future to gauge members’ views. A group led by an independent
chairman would be set up to review evidence on behalf of the Council.
The second speaker was Bill Scott, chief pharmaceutical officer for Scotland.
Sharing some thoughts on leadership and the future professional body,
he said that the profession needs strong, focused leadership more now
than ever. Leaders need to be “realistic visionaries” who
can develop strategies for the next 20 years.
Mr Scott said that professional leadership at the Society needs to be
changed to ensure that the profession is fit for the future and that
the professional body supports pharmacists giving care to patients. He
suggested that, although they have a unique role in modern health care,
pharmacists are still not maximising the use of their skills. That was
why the need for strong leadership, role models and professional networks
is greater than ever.
He added that, as well as examining its professional role, the Society
should carry out an in-depth review of its branches in terms of aims,
functions and activities.
The final speaker was Peter Noyce, professor of pharmacy practice at
the University of Manchester and a professional adviser to the Carter
working party on the future regulation of pharmacy. He observed that
leaders in pharmacy are generally reluctant to grasp major issues and
stressed that now is not a time for inactivity and inertia.
Professor Noyce added that academia has an equally important need for
leadership in supporting, networking and liaising with a professional
body, irrespective of the area of practice. He commented that the profession’s
leaders need to consider and represent all the different working patterns
and groups within the profession. In particular, he saw a need to engage
with young pharmacists and to give proper attention to those taking career
breaks and older members of the profession. Summing up, he stated that
the fate of the profession was in its own hands.
Before the addresses by the guest speakers, the chairman of the Scottish
Pharmacy Board, Rose Marie Parr, opened the meeting by providing an overview
of the past year, which she termed a year of transition and change. Apart
from the dissolution of the Society’s Scottish Executive and the
formation of the board, the year had seen the Society in Scotland engaged
in communicating with members, in partnership working, in parliamentary
lobbying within a transformed political environment and in responding
to consultation.
Dr Parr also launched the board’s annual review for 2006–07,
copies of which have been distributed to pharmacists in Scotland. [Copies
can also be obtained from the Scottish Office (tel 0131 556 4386) or
the Scottish Directorate
website]
A report was also presented by David Thomson, who reviewed his second
year as the Council member representing Scotland. He underlined his commitment
to provide a Scottish voice at Council level during a period of unparalleled
opportunity for change for the Society and the profession. He also stressed
the need for a strong Scottish representation to influence the agenda
and, in particular, to promote the Scottish perspective.
The President congratulated Scotland on the establishment of the Scottish
Pharmacy Board, which he said had an important role in developing and
shaping the professional agenda and exploiting the opportunities afforded
to Scotland in leading practice development.
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