Is the PJ biased?

[Cherrypicker999]

The editor of the PJ had written on 4th Aug 2007 (page 116)

“However, compared with most other healthcare professions (with the exception of the Nursing, where the economies of scale of over 600,000 registrants enable the Nursing and Midwifery Council to keep their fees low) the fees for belonging to a single Royal Pharmaceutical Society still compare favourably with the fees required to be registered with a regulator and be a member of a separate professional body.”

Well, if this is not biased it displays poor knowledge. The General Optical Council charges a mere £169 and has a fraction of members of the RPSGB (no economy of scale). I feel her statement was misleading, inaccurate and nonsensical and some would suggest deliberately misleading and biased. The editor should have known this to be the case as I have submitted letters in the past demonstrating very this point. I feel there is little impartiality in the PJ.

Did the PJ even provide a link for the recent petition appearing on gopetition?

Do you think the PJ is biased?

[Fat Rafa]

of course they are...never heard of the monkey and the organ grinder !!

[admin]

You are attacking the editor of the PJ personally here. Stop it, or change it, or I'll pull it.

If you want to put links to articles in the PJ for discussion then fine, but your posts are coming across as a personal attack on an individual.

This is looking like a one issue trolling exercise and we have had a couple of attempts at this before. Neither was very successful.

[the old merlin]

Just be careful, Admin. As I understand it cherrypicker is making a valid point, given what has been openly posted in the past.

I don't agree with what I believe cherrypicker is saying, but I will defend his right to say it. And as I read the posts, it wasn't him who started quoting names.

[Jeff]

The General Optical Council charges a mere £169 and has a fraction of members of the RPSGB (no economy of scale).

You are not comparing like with like - the General Optical Council is regulatory only

About Us

"The GOC is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Its purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education and conduct amongst opticians. The Council currently registers around 22,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.

We have four core functions:
1. Setting standards for optical education and training, performance and conduct.
2. Approving qualifications leading to registration.
3. Maintaining a register of individuals who are qualified and fit to practise, train or carry on business as optometrists and dispensing opticians.
4. Investigating and acting where a registrant’s fitness to practise, train, or carry on business is impaired. "

For representation they have things like
Welcome to ABDO

Jeff

[Cherrypicker999]

"The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) is the professional and regulatory body for pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales. It also regulates pharmacy technicians on a voluntary basis, which is expected to become statutory under anticipated legislation.

The primary objectives of the RPSGB are to lead, regulate, develop and represent the profession of pharmacy.

The RPSGB leads and supports the development of the profession within the context of the public benefit. This includes the advancement of science, practice, education and knowledge in pharmacy. In addition, it promotes the profession’s policies and views to a range of external stakeholders in a number of different forums.

The RPSGB has responsibility for a wide range of functions that combine to assure competence and fitness to practise. These include controlled entry into the profession, education, registration, setting and enforcing professional standards, promoting good practice, providing support for improvement, dealing with poor performance, dealing with misconduct and removal from the register."


The above statement is just more detailed.
Optometrists don't have any other body.

What is the difference to the RPSGB and GOC?

They also set standards for education and training (CPD) as RPSGB.

They have exactly the same role and they don't support contract limitation.
Also, they stop pre-reg students in Boots stacking shelves. Yet the RPSGB is happy for pre-reg pharmacists to do that. 4 years education to stack shelves.
So are pharmacists glorified shop assistants?

ABDO is for dispensing opticians (non-graduates) and not and Optometrists (graduates).
An Optometrsit would not join. They have no other body.

Ask an optician!

[Cherrypicker999]

Dear Admin

How do I post a link to the relevant PJ?
I have simply quoted what was written. It is one and the same.

I thought this site was for open discussion and not censorship.

I have not named the editor. How else can we discuss what the editor wrote?
How is this a personal attack.

I did not state "Is the editor biased" although this is a a fair question.
I asked is the PJ biased.

Please explain this to us all.

[Trebor88]

I agree with Old Merlin, he is so wise. I also believe the PJ is heavily biased towards the RPSGB. I am very clear about its stance on technician registration, contract limitation and similar topics. Admin, if the PJ is perceived to be biased, the Editor rightly bears full responsibility; but that doesn't mean we can't even say it or discuss it.

[Jeff]

Optometrists don't have any other body.

Not true.

About the AOP - Association of Optometrists
"THE AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF OPTOMETRISTS

The principal activities are to:

1. Represent individual optometrists, whatever their mode of practice. The Association also represents a small number of dispensing opticians.
2. Promote the professional and clinical independence of its members and the profession.
3. Encourage and assist in the development and promotion of high standards of practice.
4. Establish suitable arrangements for the defence, in disciplinary and professional matters, of all members, whether in practice as principals, assistants, employers or employees.
5. Advise on commercial, economic, legal and administrative aspects of practice.
6. Represent the interests of all of its members in negotiations for fees, other remuneration, conditions and terms of service, where appropriate.
7. Represent and promote the interests of all of its members to Parliament, Government and other institutions in the United Kingdom and the European Community."

Jeff

[Cherrypicker999]

The membership figure is?

The RPSGB does not do this.

The RPSGB supports contract limitation (CL).
Most pharmacists are employees. CL is not in the advantage of employees
hence not in the advantage of the majority of members.


What does the NPA do then?

2. Promote the professional and clinical independence of its members and the profession.

3. Encourage and assist in the development and promotion of high standards of practice.

4. Establish suitable arrangements for the defence, in disciplinary and professional matters, of all members, whether in practice as principals, assistants, employers or employees.

5. Advise on commercial, economic, legal and administrative aspects of practice.

6. Represent the interests of all of its members in negotiations for fees, other remuneration, conditions and terms of service, where appropriate.

7. Represent and promote the interests of all of its members to Parliament, Government and other institutions in the United Kingdom and the European Community."