Prospectus for the NPB

[laurabuk]

Hi,

I've been looking through the Prospectus to the NPB distributed this week - does anyone have any thoughts on the content of the Prospectus particularly with reference to Student Membership? As it stands in the document, would you join the NPB?

Laura

[laurabuk]

Anyone??

(PS sorry for the typo in the title!)

[johnep]

No.
johnep

[Sir_Dispensalot]

at the moment, given the choice between nailing parts of my anatomy to the floor and joining the NPB, I'd have to start looking for the bag of nails...

They'll have to put up a more convincing argument for joining than a glossy semi-political brochure...

[Rafael]

yes, just for willing to have post-nominal title for once after 5 years of hard work! i can not believe how they are pushing people to join or not have a post-nominal title..... this is such a 'cheap' strategy IMHO

[Jeff]

yes, just for willing to have post-nominal title for once after 5 years of hard work! i can not believe how they are pushing people to join or not have a post-nominal title..... this is such a 'cheap' strategy IMHO

You can buy a post nominal quite cheaply or invent your own - how about MPF
(Member of Pharmacy Forum) PMPF (Pharmacist Member of Pharmacy Forum) for those with access to the pharmacist only section.

Jeff

[laurabuk]

What about Student members? Do you think they should have post nominals or some other title to differentiate them from non-members?

As prospective employers of students in the future would it matter to you if they had been members of the professional body or not?

[DavidS]

What about Student members? Do you think they should have post nominals or some other title to differentiate them from non-members?

As prospective employers of students in the future would it matter to you if they had been members of the professional body or not?

I think this business about post-nominals is a bit of a nonsense. Perhaps there is a vacancy in the market for a new Pharmacist's Postnominal Society? Then we could become MPharmPS's cheaply and efficiently... send your remittance to DavidS, c/o The Lancashire Home for the Bewildered. Students won't have to do CPD, as a special concession.

I've been a member of the Institute of Pharmacy Management International for years/ever and rarely use the post-nominals. And for those who fancy the MIPharmMI postnominals just to get Pharm after their name, that would be a hell of a lot cheaper than the NPB, I would guess.

I noticed in the prospectus that unless you are a member of the NPB they say you won't be able to call yourself a "pharmacist." I just don't believe that, sorry. Bring on the handcuffs, I will be a sinner, although "GPharmCReg" beats MRPharmS after the name on length alone, doesn't it. And I guess that I could go back to being a Chemist, or even an Apothecary. Perhaps this will become the subject of a new thread?? If membership of the society is to be optional, then the NPB will have to find some other way to distinguish members, I think.

Strangely, if you can't call yourself a pharmacist then it becomes difficult to register with the NPB, and if you aren't registered with the NPB then you can't call yourself a Pharmacist, have I got that right?

Also - really getting into my stride now - this business about the "New Charter" has a bit of a sense of Deja Vu about it. Bob Gartside wrote in the journal that if Transcom get their way the senior committee will be nominated (by the national boards, largely) rather than elected. That will save them any embarassing sackings by the electorate when they get it wrong, won't it? It was the meddling of the privvy council that got us into this mess, so of course it goes without saying that we want a NEW charter so that they can interfere some more, stick a few cronies on the committee, etc.

Its been a while since I've had the responsibility of employing pharmacists, but what matters is the legality, not the postnominals.

[Part Timer]

I noticed in the prospectus that unless you are a member of the NPB they say you won't be able to call yourself a "pharmacist."

The wording in that bit of the prospectus is incredibly (deliberately?) confusing. "If you are not a practising pharmacist, or do not wish to join the register, it will not be legally permissible to call yourself a 'pharmacist'. So membership of the Professional Body may be an important component of your professional identity. "

The register is the one held by the GPC, nothing to do with the NPB.
I fail to see how the sentence after the 'so' is even related to the sentence before it (can't call yourself a phcist if you're not on list A. so membership of list B may be important.... )

I'm sure it's not deliberate though, why would they want us confused on this issue?

[Fleegle]

What a complete mess. I despair at how totally ridiculous this has all become. It's not even funny any more.