The Commission has concluded that the leadership of the current professional body for pharmacists in Great Britain has failed. It believes that the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), a body whose first iteration was initially established in 1841, is no longer fit for purpose, and this view appears to be backed up by the majority of the profession who have chosen not to be a member.
Whether the CPhOs’ proposals will ultimately secure the widespread support of pharmacists or not, one thing is for certain: the current arrangements are woefully inadequate, and a radical change is necessary.
The PDA believes that it is vitally important that any changes to the professional leadership structure are widely informed by the profession and have its support. Just as pharmacists established earlier professional leadership bodies, it is for pharmacists to determine if they agree with these proposals and to decide what arrangements they want in the future. So please complete this survey so that the PDA can understand and represent members’ views. The survey should only take 5-10 minutes to complete.
You may want to read the CPhO’s report in full (66 pages) or just the 4-page Executive Summary on pages 6-9, before responding. To read the report please click here,
A summary of the report’s main recommendations are:
- To create a new temporary pharmacy leadership council made up of the RPS, Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), Pharmacy Forum Northern Ireland (PFNI), and several other organisations yet to be determined.
- Through this council, to develop professional standards for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
- Through this council, to engage on professional leadership issues with various audiences including the public, patients, governments, and other stakeholders, at regional, national, and international levels.
- Through this council, to help shape and enable future practice for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
- Through this council, to contribute to the development of professional education and training for integrated pharmacist and pharmacy technician practice. Ensure equity of access between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and enhance their professional mobility.
The ultimate endpoint after five years is one of three options:
- Leave existing, separate pharmacy bodies in place and maintain the proposed new council approach.
- Merge the separate organisations into one single professional leadership body, and then dissolve the council.
- Create an entirely new professional leadership body for pharmacy, which could apply for Royal College status, and then dissolve the council.
CLICK TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY
Learn more
- PDA urges the Chief Pharmacists to reflect upon the context around the commission into pharmacy professional leadership
- PDA responds to Commission on Professional Leadership
- Responses received to pharmacists’ questions on professional leadership commission
- PDA calls for improved clarity from ‘independent’ commission into professional leadership.
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.