New Professional leadership/representative body

[Tony Schofield]

Well folks the latest election passed with 16% of those eligible to vote actually casting a vote. As thousands of members of the RPSGB have their membership paid by their employer I really fear for the future leadership body which I believe could be bankrupt after year 1.

I believe that a representative/leadership body is a good thing. Such a body for example could challenge the employer organisations about the pressure they put on employee pharmacists and the dodgy interpretation of Drug Tariff staffing requirements. It could also be responsible for world class CPD, assistance with professional development and influencing those that negotiate nationally, not just for community pharmacists but also hospital and employee pharmacists. Currently such functions are served by a rag bag of disparate organisations with no collective focus and clout.

We keep hearing what the "great and the good" expect of a leadership organisation but who has asked the intended membership?

Please try and approach this thread positively. What would encourage you to join a professional leadership and representative organisation? What would make you pay money when you don't need to? What are you looking for from representatives as pharmacy accelerates into the 21st century?

[johnep]

This was the first time in 50 years that I have not voted. The voting paper arrived after I left for abroad and had expired before I came back. however, I was in touch with the world via email and had the vote been via the internet, then I could and would have voted.
johnep

[Jeff]

What would encourage you to join a professional leadership and representative organisation?

I made my response to the Clarke enquiry - it seems to have been largely ignored.

What would make you pay money when you don't need to?

A body with no relation to the RPSGB - I spend money I don't need to on all sorts of things.

What are you looking for from representatives as pharmacy accelerates into the 21st century?

Representatives as open as you are. Your views on the future direction of this profession are better known than the views of our elected representatives.

Optimism - you talk of pharmacy accelerating into then 21st century - others seem to be dragged screaming and scratching all the way.

Would I vote for you? Not for the RPSGB - it would be a waste of your time and efforts. The RPSGB is at best irrelevant - and at worst a hindrance saying what we can't do rather than an enabling body that supports us in what we can do. I will not be joining any voluntary body formerly known as the RPSGB.

For me the PDA - as a body representing pharmacists (though not employers) is the voluntary body of choice - I'd need to be convinced that I need another.

Jeff

[Tony Schofield]

Would I vote for you? Not for the RPSGB - it would be a waste of your time and efforts. The RPSGB is at best irrelevant - and at worst a hindrance saying what we can't do rather than an enabling body that supports us in what we can do. I will not be joining any voluntary body formerly known as the RPSGB.




I must make it absolutely clear that I have no intention of standing for any office in any pharmacy organisation. My intention in posting is to enable ordinary pharmacists to articulate what would encourage them to join the much vaunted leadership organisation. I don't think many pharmacists have thought about it and I am damn sure our "leaders" haven't. I fear that a catastrophe is looming where the RPSGB staff up sticks and join the GPhC (a good thing in my view) leaving a building and a clean slate (again a good thing in my view) but that a demoralised and apathetic profession fail to grasp the opportunity presented.

Lambeth could be used as collateral or sold off to finance a new body but that doesn't mean that the new organisation had necessarily evolved from the old one. I would be looking to the new body to reprsent us V the GPhC amongst many other things.

What does anyone else think?

[mosquera]

The RPSGB are just a part of the DoH that does registration, hanging and flogging. What powers our elected representatives have there I don't know, next to nothing it seems.
If only we could have another T.P.Astill - the body he would be head of doesn't matter, it would be nice to have just someone relatively independant who could offer a concise accurate commentary about what is going on in retail pharmacy. No good looking at the PJ, but then the DoH are our paymasters.

[admin]

The RPSGB is at best irrelevant - and at worst a hindrance saying what we can't do rather than an enabling body that supports us in what we can do. I will not be joining any voluntary body formerly known as the RPSGB.

For me the PDA - as a body representing pharmacists (though not employers) is the voluntary body of choice - I'd need to be convinced that I need another.

I totally agree. To me paying the society is like funding the Gestapo. Who wants to fund the Gestapo?

I wouldn't pay the society if I didn't have to, even if the cost went down to below £100, and I can't see that happening.

At least I feel I get something from the PDA for my money.

[Tony Schofield]

I am not however talking about the RPSGB. The hanging and flogging bit will be the GPhC which you will have no choice but to join. What is expected is that a new body that will provide professional leadership and national representation will be created. It is that body to which I am referring.

The hangers and floggers, having secured government funded salaries and having their pensions paid up to date by the RPSGB members through the recently increased fees will be in the GPhC. Very few of them if any will be in the new organisation which will therefore start with a clean slate.

What would you like to see on that slate? Who would you like to see lead it? What would make you join it?

[johnep]

A deal with the PDA so that the latter takes over the assets in trust and forget the RPSGB. Let the dying horse die. All we need is the GPhC to flog us and the PDA to look after our professional and personal interests. Perhaps Mark and Hemant could have lunch together?
johnep

[Tony Schofield]

Yeah.....right.


And the interests of Hospital pharmacists would be catered for by the PDA how.........?

[Jeff]

What would you like to see on that slate? Who would you like to see lead it? What would make you join it?

LOL - I just answered this on Private Rx

CPD is provided by the CPPE, PCT, NPC etc

The main employers provide a means of recording CPD, as does the PDA.

Pharmacist input on medication issues is already provided by the likes of the NPC.

So I don't believe that our new professional body should spend our fees in providing what is already provided elsewhere.

What I would like? The new body should in essence be a PR company highlighting, encouraging and enabling the role of pharmacists; an organisation that raised the expectations of clinicians, politicians, the public and above all pharmacists.

I'd probably pay 2k without thinking too much - if I thought our new body would do this. Unfortunately I think my money is pretty safe.

Who would we like to see in charge. (Ignoring incidentals like them wanting to stand or be elected)

My wish list would include Claire Mackie (Academic), Mark Koziol (PDA), Martin Bennett or Tony Schofield (Community), Jonathan Underhill or Sue Faulding (NPC), Nigel Simmons (CfH) and Anthony Cox (MRHA). I accept that I have not put down either a hospital or industrial candidate. Perhaps an ex Chief Pharmacist (for their understanding of the workings of the DH).

I'd also like to see places reserved for younger pharmacists (under 40) - it's their future not mine - so Robbie Turner(Assura).


Jeff