Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland and Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland Work Together on Patient Safety

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland will increase mutual cooperation following a meeting between the Chief Executives and Presidents of the two Societies, it was announced today.

Areas in which the two regulatory bodies have agreed to assist each other to a greater extent include:

• formal sharing of learning on regulatory matters such as mediation services and Continuing Professional Development;
• Statutory Committee training for Fitness to Practice hearings; and,
• cross-border inspection concerns.

Mr Trevor Patterson, Director of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, said: "Both Societies have much to learn from each other in respect to regulation of the pharmacy profession.  For instance, Northern Ireland is leading the way in Continuing Professional Development of pharmacists, whilst the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland has benefited from its recent statutory overhaul and re-creation of its governing Council. The ultimate benefit is patient safety as both regulatory bodies develop new ideas and activities together to protect the public."

Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, Registrar and Chief Executive of the PSI, welcomed the meeting and said: "The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland is pleased to continue the co-operation with our colleagues in Northern Ireland. Myself and the President, Dr Bernard Leddy were happy to be able to outline the ongoing implementation of the Pharmacy Act 2007 and the development programme for pharmacy in the Republic to our colleagues."

ENDS

For further information, contact:

Richard Price, Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, 00 44 2890 267 933

Kate O'Flaherty, Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, 00 353 87 912 9141

Editor's notes

• 1. The meeting took place on Tuesday 8^th July at the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, 73 University Street, Belfast.
• 2. Pictured from left to right, the participants to the meeting where:
• Mr Brendan Kerr (Head of Professional Services & Registrar, Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland)
• Mr Raymond Anderson (President, Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland)
• Dr Bernard Leddy (President, Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland)
• Dr Ambrose McLoughlin (Chief Executive & Registrar, Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland)
• Mr Trevor Patterson (Director, Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland)