The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7476 p509
3 November 2007

Society summary

National pharmacy boards reports

Scottish Pharmacy Board hears DoH’s Jeannette Howe on Health Act

Jeanette Howe, head of pharmacy at the Department of Health, joined the Scottish Pharmacy Board meeting on 24 October 2007 via videoconference to give a presentation on the implications of the Health Act 2006 for pharmacy in Scotland.

She also spoke about the “responsible pharmacist” proposals and the timetable for consultation. Mrs Howe indicated that the consultation would run until 20 January 2008. In particular, the DoH was keen to seek views on guidelines for pharmacists returning from a leave of absence, training covering general sale lists medicines, flexibility of guidelines considering possible technological enhancements in the industry and considerations for safeguards to cover supervision.

Regulation Bill Scott, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, provided an update on the progress of the Professional Regulation and Leadership Oversight Group and on the implementation of the White Paper — “Trust, assurance and safety: the regulation of health professionals in the 21st century” — in Scotland.

He told the board that the White Paper highlighted the need to investigate relationships between patients and health care, and that an implementation steering group would guide the outcomes of the White Paper in Scotland. It would also have responsibility for communication and securing buy-in from stakeholders.

Two further groups had been established to take forward the programme of work — the extending professional regulation group and the fitness to practise group.

Pharmacy 2020 The board agreed that the next Pharmacy 2020 strategy meeting should consider the role of branch Pharmacy 2020 champions. The board would support and encourage contributions at branch and individual levels to ensure a widespread and representative response.

Pharmacy practice framework Graham Phillips, chairman of the Society’s Education Committee, delivered a presentation on progress with the consultation on developing the practice framework. The board discussed the consultation and noted the committee’s pledge to listen fully to all responses.

Support for branches Questionnaire responses have been received from members regarding views into the future of the branch in Ayrshire and Arran. The results identified a number of areas where the branch required support.

Rose Marie Parr reported that the branch is happy to share the findings and to take part in a pilot scheme to promote branch support.

There was discussion of examples of best practice within other branches, including successful websites used to communicate with members. The board noted that the geographical make up of some branches did present particular challenges for communication and engagement activities.

It agreed to raise these issues and to look at work towards clarifying the role and remit of branches at a joint meeting between the Scottish Pharmacy Board and branch secretaries to be held on 21 November 2007.

The papers and minutes of the meeting will be available in the “Scotland” section of the Society’s website. Further information is available from Lyndon Braddick, Director for Scotland, on 0131 556 4386.