Separate professional body backed by pharmacy owners in Scotland
Harry McQuillan: low survey response may indicate apathy |
Community pharmacy owners in Scotland favour the creation of a separate professional body, according to a poll carried out by Community Pharmacy Scotland.
CPS wrote to all of its 1,200 pharmacy contractor members recently to
ask whether or not a separate professional body in Scotland is needed.
Of the 50 responses, 40 were in favour of a separate body and 10 were
against.
The survey result is included in the organisation’s submission
to the Clarke Inquiry (PDF 220K).
Harry McQuillan, chief executive officer, CPS, told The
Journal that
the low response to the survey either indicated apathy or ignorance about
pharmacy’s future professional body. “It should give a message
to the Society about its level of engagement,” he said.
In its submission to the inquiry, CPS states: “We are in favour
of a completely new body, not the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in a different
form.” It highlights the financial
evaluation conducted by NERA Economic Consulting (PJ, 16
June 2007, p693), which suggests that the cost differential between a
new body evolving from the Society and a
new body being established independently of the Society is less than
10 per cent.
CPS believes that this differential does not preclude development
of a new independent body should the former option appear infeasible.
CPS comments: “This point has been sadly lacking in debate so far
and must be brought to the fore and to the membership’s attention.”
CPS also states: “Our preference is for a Scottish body which can
speak authoritatively on what actually happens in Scotland and put the
message in the right context.” It says that the existing structure
of the Society’s devolved boards does not provide this, and concludes: “The
creation of a separate Scottish professional body will not be an easy
option but we see it as the correct option.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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