Professional Forum

Pharmacist Medicines

The regulation and professional leadership of pharmacy in Northern Ireland is changing....

In keeping with the Government White Paper "Trust, Assurance and Safety" (2007), the operation of the professional leadership function of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland is being transferred to a new Professional Forum.

 

Professional Forum submission to the Compton Review available here.


 the professional forum BOARD

The results from the Professional Forum Board Election are now in.

Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland have elected the following pharmacists to lead the Professional Forum which has been developed to promote and represent the professional interests of pharmacists in Northern Ireland:

  • Raymond Anderson
  • Martin Kerr
  • Johanne Barry
  • John Hamill
  • Kate McClelland
  • Ann McAlister
  • John Clark
  • Declan Byrne

It has been very encouraging to see so many pharmacists participating in the voting process and showing their passion for the future of the profession, with 17% of all registrants voting and over 2100 votes cast.

What Next?

The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, the Ulster Chemists Association and the Pharmaceutical Contractors Committee have been invited to put forward nominees for their respective allocated places on the Forum Board. They will then join with the 8 elected members to audit the skill base available. If necessary the Forum Board can then exercise co-option powers to bring individuals, with specific skills or knowledge, onto the management board.

It is envisaged that the Professional Forum will be a member-led grassroots organisation. Therefore an early priority for the Board will be to ascertain the needs of its members in its formative period. 

This is a great opportunity for pharmacists in Northern Ireland to build and support a strong leadership body by distilling a clear vision of where the profession should be heading. I have no doubt that the new Forum Board will have the passion and drive to take it there.

RESPONSIBLE PHARMACIST RESEARCH PROJECT

The Professional Forum and RPS have launched a research project to evaluate the impact of the Responsible Pharmacist Regulations 18 months after their introduction.

The research will involve a survey of pharmacists and technicians in all 4 UK countries. The findings will help support the Professional Forum’s and RPS’s responses to the Department of Health’s consultation on supervision planned for later this year.

If you are one of the 800 randomly selected pharmacists in Northern Ireland to be surveyed for your views you are strongly encouraged to contribute to the research exercise.

It will be an important opportunity to influence policy changes in this area – ensuring future amendments to the regulations provide assurance that medicines continue to be supplied safely and effectively as well as providing opportunity to deploy pharmacist clinical skills most effectively.

To ensure the views of pharmacy support staff are represented participating pharmacists are also asked to pass on a survey supplied for support staff at their main place of work.

Surveys will be posted to your registered home address.

More information on the research project is available here:

Any further questions or queries in relation to the project can be addressed to the Forum Manager on the contact details below.

Julie Greenfield
Professional Forum Manager
02890 326 927
julie.greenfield@psni.org.uk