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Letters to the Editor
|
Council election
Boots does not exert undue influence
From Mr P. J. Walker, MRPharmS
It is of real concern to me that Noel
Baumber has chosen to raise again
the somewhat dated belief that Boots uses undue political influence on
the profession (PJ, 12 April 2008, p438).
Steve Churton, Jonathan Buisson and Paul Bennett are currently members of either
the Council or the English Pharmacy Board — where is the evidence that
they have used their commercial connections with Boots to unduly influence
the profession?
I suspect that Mr Baumber has none and is being somewhat mischievous by raising
the issue or perhaps, as a founder member of the Independent Pharmacy Federation,
he has a hidden agenda.
I remember well the times when Boots did not encourage their pharmacists to
enter into the wider professional arena and when even letters to the PJ had
to be passed by senior management before submission. Thankfully, those days
are over and Boots now positively encourages its employees to take an active
part in the leadership of the profession.
I am not aware of any preconceived plan that Boots gives to its employees taking
part in professional pharmacy life, except as a company it expects all its
pharmacists to exhibit personal integrity at all times.
Although I have yet to meet Nanette Kerr, I do know Mr Churton, Mr Buisson
and Mr Bennett and I believe that they do exhibit personal integrity. They
are working hard for the pharmacy profession and the best interests of all
the membership are always uppermost in their minds.
The Boots Pharmacists’ Association believe that company employee pharmacists
must be given every encouragement to take an active part in the leadership
of the profession. The unsupported meanderings of Mr Baumber do nothing to
encourage. If anything they may put off good candidates from standing for election.
Peter J. Walker
Chief Executive,
Boots Pharmacists’ Association |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal