Clarke says Society will be part of professional body
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society should form an integral part of the future professional body for pharmacy, Nigel Clarke’s inquiry on the matter has concluded.
In its report published
this week, the Clarke Inquiry says it agrees,
on balance, with the many respondents who said the Society should form
a major part, and describes it as “the only pragmatic solution
if there is to be a new body in place by 2010 or for some years thereafter”.
However, it acknowledges that this was not the only view: “It is
fair to say that feelings are strong and the timing of our consultation
not ideal, following as it did the Society’s own consultation on
a significant fee increase. There were some who, in anger at that fee
increase, or a more longstanding disillusionment with the Society, wanted
the Society to play no part, other than passing on its assets, in the
new professional body.
“Others, including significant organisations, took
the view that this enforced change was an opportunity for a radical rethink
of what a professional body could be and that this should not be hampered
by historical baggage.”
The inquiry recommends that the Society should set up a transitional
committee —with an independent chairman and including major stakeholders — charged
with overseeing the preparation for a new professional body. The inquiry
believes that its proposals can be achieved within an amended Charter.
Additionally, the inquiry suggests distinct membership categories for
pharmacists registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, registered
pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, preregistration trainees, non-practising
and retired pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, academics in related
fields and overseas applicants with relevant qualifications.
“Much of the debate,” it says, “was principally about whether
or not technicians should be part of the organisation, because in the
main they do not have degrees and there is a potential conflict of interests.
We take the view that a capable professional body could readily cope
with such tensions and that the balance of advantage to the profession
lies in an inclusive approach.”
The inquiry says that the degree to which the professional body would
be involved, in partnership with the GPhC, in setting standards generally
and for undergraduate, preregistration and post-registration education,
as well as revalidation, would depend on how well it could demonstrate
its own credibility.
“It should seek to be a central force for promoting education thinking
in pharmacy and have sufficient capacity and expertise to engage and
work with the key education stakeholders,” the inquiry report states.
However,
in terms of revalidation, it says the organisation should “have
no role in policing the system but should develop systems to give confidence
and assistance to members”.
Society President Hemant Patel commented: “Nigel Clarke and his
inquiry team are to be congratulated on consulting widely and reflecting
the full range of views they received in a thoughtful and comprehensive
report. They extended their consultation period to allow as many individuals
and organisations as possible to take part.”
Future “can’t be
dictated by Society”
Nigel Clarke
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Inquiry chairman Nigel Clarke said at the launch
of the inquiry report in London this week that he was impressed
by the care, thought and
debate that went into people’s responses to inform the consultation.
He said that his role was now over and that it was now for the
profession to decide the way forward.
Notwithstanding the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s now-ensured
involvement, Mr Clarke said that the future professional body existing
from 1 January 2010 would need to be a new entity.
“The fundamental
thing is, the next stage can’t just be dictated by the Society.
It has to actively involve, with a sense of ownership, a wider range
of organisations within the profession coming together with the Society
to create the new body,” he told the press.
“We heard at length from the profession about the need for leadership.
We have made quite clear that needs to be a major part of the new
professional body. We heard loud and clear that the profession
do believe there has not been sufficient leadership in recent years.”
But he added: “It was suggested before we started that … if you had your professional body and regulator in the same organisation,
the professional body inhibited the function of regulation. I’m
afraid that our findings very clearly were the other way round — regulatory
function inhibits the professional body. And that has been very
difficult for the Society.”
Mr Clarke believes that “the new professional body will not
succeed unless it achieves a significant level of membership from
day 1”, adding that the organisation would need to be seen
to be managed effectively as well as offer value for money to prospective
members.
He made clear that the Society had not interfered with the inquiry
process, pointing out that he would not have taken on the inquiry
unless it had been independent and that the inquiry report was
edited by no one outside the inquiry team. |
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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