The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society NI (Council) met on 26 November 2019 at Ulster University in Coleraine.
During the public session Council made the following decisions:
1) Council reviewed the projected income and expenditure for 2020/2021 and considered the need for a fee increase.
- Council decided there would be no fee increase in 2020/2021
2) Council considered a review of its Guidance on Patient Consent, which included a stakeholder engagement report and proposed revised Guidance. Council noted that the revised Guidance on Patient Consent will be reviewed on the commencement of the relevant sections of the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016, which relate to patients’ capacity.
- Council approved the revised Guidance on Patient Consent for publication
3) Council considered new draft Guidance on the Provision of Services and whether to proceed to publicly consult upon the document. Council considered this proposal in the context of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 and the Northern Ireland Office’s current consultation on ‘A legal framework for abortion services in Northern Ireland’. Council noted that its proposed guidance provides advice on issues of conscience in relation to existing pharmacy services and the current legal framework on the provision of services. Council considered the potential impact the planned changes to the legal framework for abortions services may have on the proposed guidance.
Council decided to:
- Pause the planned public consultation to assess the outcome of the Government’s public consultation and new legal framework related to abortion services in Northern Ireland. Subsequently revise the proposed Provision of Services Guidance, if necessary, and then proceed to public consultation;
- Periodically review the situation; and
- Issue a statement outlining Council’s current position.
A statement relating to this decision can be found here.
4) Council considered a consultation report on the public consultation carried out between 02 August 2019 and 11 October 2019 on Proposals for a Joint GPhC/Pharmaceutical Society NI 4-Country Registration Assessment.
Council decided to:
- Adopt the joint GPhC/PSNI 4-Country Registration Assessment, introducing the revised joint assessment in 2021;
- Empower the CEO to sign the Partnership Agreement between the GPhC and Pharmaceutical Society NI;
- Instruct the CEO to produce an implementation and communications plan for Council’s approval in January 2020.
A statement relating to this decision can be found here.
5) Council considered a paper on its ongoing governance review.
Council decided to approve the following actions:
- A Task and Finish Group to meet regarding the Scheme of Delegation to the Pharmacy Forum NI;
- A Task and Finish Group to meet regarding the Terms of Reference of Council’s new committees;
- The Executive to draft a revised Scheme of Delegation for consideration/amendment by the Task and Finish Group, followed by consideration by Council;
- Once approved, the CEO is to engage with the Pharmacy Forum NI to agree the Scheme of Delegation;
- To continually review the situation at Council regarding risk; and
- The Executive to draft terms of reference for new Committees for consideration/amendment by the Task and Finish Group, followed by consideration by Council.
6) Council considered a report from the President concerning his activities since the previous Council meeting.
Council decided that:
- The CEO should engage with Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the GPhC with a view to securing a 3-way meeting.
7) Council considered a report regarding progress against the Corporate Strategy.
Council decided that:
- In future the Risk Register will be considered alongside the progress report against the Corporate Strategy 2017-2022.