The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7483 p705
22/29 December 2007

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Separating professional regulation and representation General Pharmaceutical Council and a professional body for the Society

IPM sees Society as foundation of professional body

Support for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to be the foundation for a new professional body for pharmacy has been given by the Institute of Pharmacy Management.

The IPM is prepared to consider merging with, and transferring its funds and income to, a new professional body.

In written evidence submitted to the Clarke Inquiry, the IPM warns that to establish a completely new body that could obtain a Charter and Royal status in less than two years is impossible. It says: “In the nine months since Carter was published no alternative has emerged, which suggests the RPSGB in modified form offers the best option for the foundation of the future body.”

However, it adds: “While there are good foundations, the rest of the body needs review, redesign and extending in discussions with others.” The IPM highlights the need for the Society to become a bottom up, rather than top down, organisation and suggests that the national boards should form the basis for the professional leadership role.

The IPM further suggests that full merger into a society or institute should be possible between pharmacy bodies with non-profit, educational or public interest objectives. “Association should be possible with those with public service roles provided they do not have membership of the ruling council or board,” it adds.

The submission explains that the IPM council would seriously consider recommending merger into the new body when the nature of it and the proposed infrastructure is clearer, but says that it could not merge with a trade union. Bodies that represent business interests and trade unions could have corporate membership status but should not merge, it believes.

The IPM favours an inclusive professional body, including some level of membership for academics, industrial members and others. “The Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Physics both offer potential models where chemists and physicists views are promoted but the subject agenda is enriched by wider membership categories.”

Submitted evidence can be seen on the inquiry’s website

Evidence can be submitted until 28 January 2008.