Guidance notes for non council members attending Pharmaceutical Society NI Council meetings.

• Members of the public and registrants are welcome to attend the council meetings of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
• Attendance of members of the public and registrants will be on the basis of being observers to the proceedings
• Observers should aim to arrive for the beginning of the meeting and remain until the end to avoid disturbing discussion.
• At the discretion of the Chairman, observers may be invited to comment on issues discussed. In such cases observers should indicated to the chairman their desire to comment, when called upon to speak they should identify themselves and their status and make their comment
• In the event of an observer being disruptive, the Chair will ask the individual to refrain and should this not happen may ask the offending individual leave the meeting. Should a group of indiviuals seek to disrupt the proceedings the chair may move the council meeting into private session. In such an event all observers will be required to leave the meeting.
• In normal circumstances all council meetings are open to the public. The meeting will move into private session (non members will be asked to leave the room) when the business under consideration concerns;
  • information relating to a registrant, former registrant or application for registration;
  • information relating to an employee or office holder, former employee or applicant for any post or office;
  • the terms of, or expenditure under, a tender or contract for the purchase or supply of goods or services or the acquisition or disposal of property;
  • negotiations or consultation concerning labour relations between the Council and its employees;
  • any issue relating to legal proceedings which are being contemplated or instituted by or against the Council;
  • action being taken to prevent or detect crime or to prosecute offenders;
  • the source of information given to the Council or Committee in confidence; any other matter which, in the opinion of the President, or Chairman, is confidential or the public disclosure of which would prejudice the effective discharge of the Council's or Committee's functions.

 Should a registrant or a member of the Public wish to address Council on a specific agenda topic, a request can be submitted to the general office at least three days before the Council meeting. Please contact the office indicating the agenda item you wish to speak on and indicating whether you are a registrant or a member of the public.

In order that members are able to speak freely photography or recording of Pharmaceutical Society NI meetings, other than written notes, is prohibited. Notes of public meetings are made available on the Pharmaceutical Society NI website.