New Professional Body for Pharmacy

You will by now have received or be about to receive a copy of the prospectus for The New Professional Body for Pharmacy. This will arrive in the form of a large orange A4 envelope. The publication of this document is a key stage in the development of the new professional body for Pharmacy and is the first real engagement of the wider Pharmacy community in development of the new organisation.

As we have stated in our strategic plans, the APS has always sought to develop a professional body for pharmaceutical scientists. The development of the new Professional Body for Pharmacy is a fantastic opportunity for pharmaceutical scientists to become further integrated into the wider pharmaceutical community and to be recognised as important contributors in this arena. By being a part of this body we would have a stronger voice on the National and International stage and the ability to develop the profession of pharmaceutical scientist.

The Academy worked hard to represent the pharmaceutical scientist in the development of the prospectus through involvement in Transcom; the independent committee developing the prospectus. We feel that the prospectus is a good starting point for pharmaceutical scientists as it clearly states its intent to include the pharmaceutical scientist in the new professional body. Furthermore the pharmaceutical scientist will have voting representation on the governing body or Assembly of the New Professional Body. Both of these developments were essential for us to be part of the New Body and we are very pleased with the position that has been reached.. It is APS’s intention to maintain engagement with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society as it further develops the new professional body based on the prospectus. We, in APS, are keen to see the development of a range of membership services applicable to pharmaceutical scientists, the awarding of post nominals for pharmaceutical scientists members and a realistic fee structure.

It is important to note that the prospectus is a staging point in the development of the new professional body. It is a vehicle to initiate further discussion with the potential membership. APS now needs to make sure that we express what our membership would want from such a body and what we feel about the body.

The prospectus contains a freepost feedback form on the final page. It is vital that we as pharmaceutical scientists let the Transcom body and the Pharmaceutical Society know our thoughts on the prospectus and your views on the New Professional Body.

The APS board would also like to capture your views on the prospectus and the new professional body. To this end we have set up a blog on the APS website for you to post your opinion and debate the prospectus with others (http://www.apsgb.org/discussion). If however, you wish to make your opinions known in a less public forum please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]. The APS board will be discussing the prospectus in depth at our strategy retreat in early January and would like your feedback before then if possible so that we can take it into account in our discussions.

If you do not receive the prospectus document, and/or wish to be able to easily share it with colleagues who may be interested, a full version is available on the front page of the transitional committee website at http://www.transitionalcommittee.com under the tab marked prospectus.

Dr Eddie French
Chair APSGB


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