The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7504 p669
31 May 2008

Society summary

Young members urged to help shape pharmacy’s future

Young pharmacists should come forward and help shape the future of pharmacy, said the President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Hemant Patel, at the Society’s annual general meeting on 21 May 2008.

Mr Patel said that pharmacy and science had played an important role in his own life since his family had moved from Africa to benefit from the education and opportunities on offer in Britain. He was proud of what the nation had helped him achieve and hoped that his desire to give something back as a Council member and President would encourage younger people to become involved with the Society.

He hoped that young people involved in pharmacy would appreciate their opportunities, not only to play an active part in healthcare through their work in hospitals, industry, communities and even prisons, but also to shape the future of the profession and provide easy access to pharmaceutical services.

Commending the Society’s annual review, which was distributed to members with The Pharmaceutical Journal of 3 May, the President said that pharmacists had real opportunities in front of them — the new professional body, a greater clinical role and opportunities in the promotion of healthier lifestyles.

He concluded: “Whatever the future holds, the time is right for our profession to play its part in shaping that future to the benefit of Britain, for the public and for the wider healthcare community.”

The President also commented on specific issues within the annual review, as follows:

Preparing for change The President said that the Society’s Council and staff had been working for members against the background of major changes to the regulation of pharmacy, to clinical opportunities in pharmacy and to the Society itself. The Society had successfully influenced legislation under the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order 2007 so that it should be in a position to transfer pharmacy regulation to the new General Pharmaceutical Council, to the benefit of the profession and the public.

The creation of a professional body free of regulatory responsibility was an exciting change, but it had come at considerable cost and had been a major factor in the need to raise fees. All regulators had seen rising costs to meet higher expectations, and the Society was no exception.

On the challenge of creating a new professional body, the Society had engaged with members, carried out research and had established the independent Clarke Inquiry to involve members and organisations. It was taking that work forward in 2008.

Against the background of the demerger, the Society had been successful across Britain at influencing policy makers to recognise the greater role that pharmacy could play in healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry. The pace of change had stepped up but would need to get faster still to take advantages of the real opportunities for pharmacy and to create a viable professional body supported across Britain.

British Pharmaceutical Conference The President said that the Society continued to seek ways of making the British Pharmaceutical Conference more accessible to the wider membership. For 2008 it was offering attendance on the Sunday for just £25.

National pharmacy boards On the Society’s national pharmacy boards, the President said that their formation had allowed pharmacy’s voice to be heard as never before. The Scottish and Welsh boards had published manifestoes for pharmacy and the focus of the English board had been to influence Lord Darzi’s review to gain recognition of the potential for pharmacy and to seek engagement in the commissioning of local services.

Public relations Pharmacy’s voice had also been heard in the media, said the President. The press office and public affairs staff had delivered excellent results in the national press, in broadcast media and in lobbying.

Publishing Turning to the Society’s publishing activities, the President said that the Society simply could not deliver the range of services it offered to members without the financial success of the RPS Publishing business. Everyone knew and appreciated the flagship Pharmaceutical Journal, but RPS Publishing was much more. Its online products and books and journals were valued internationally.

Pharmaceutical Press products had been on display at the Beijing Book Fair and a version of Martindale was to be produced for the potentially huge Chinese market. The first Spanish edition of the British National Formulary had been published in 2007 and four Italian editions had been distributed in Italy since 2001. And the PJ had launched its first Arab States edition.

Member services Support for members had not been easy in 2007 because of the need to increase fees to meet regulatory demands and the increase expectations of members, said the President. In view of the current credit crunch and the global economies, the steps taken had been not only prudent but possible prescient. Times were difficult, but the Society had listened to its members not only on fees but also to learn what issues members wanted the Society to address and how they wanted the professional body to be taken forward.

Communication The Society had reached out to its members through open days in London and Edinburgh and roadshows in Wales, the President said. It had continued to support its branches and regions and its special interest groups. It had listened to members and improved the myRPSGB website facility. And the information services provided by the information pharmacists and the library and museum teams continued to be recognised as a centre of excellence.

Research The research and development team had also had a busy year. The academic awards scheme showed the Society’s support for PhD students. The Pharmacy Practice Research Trust, funded by the Society, had published major reports into the new pharmacy contract and the future pharmacy workforce. And the in-house team had commissioned research to understand members’ issues around the creation of the new professional body.