RPS elections close shortly: use your vote wisely

17 May 2018

Voting for Royal Pharmaceutical Society elections in England and Wales closes on 18 May. The RPS has an important role in shaping opinion within and outside the sector, so please think carefully about which candidates you support, and use your vote.

Check emails (from the RPS) from Monday, 30th April to find your ‘election voting papers.’ Before you cast your vote, try to understand the hearts, minds and agendas of the candidates in relation to community pharmacy. In particular, you may wish to consider which candidates share these core beliefs: www.npa.co.uk/corebeliefs Several candidates have commented about the core beliefs on social media #pharmacycorebeliefs , as below:

Asim Mirza

Yes, I think this [the core beliefs] captures much of what I’ve been saying. However, to prepare for the future, we need to understand it. Service delivery, a focus on human interactions together with pharmacists delivering digital health. That’s where our future is. One issue though, I don’t believe choice is as clear cut. We need to ….be prepared for other possibilities – unknown unknowns! Can’t always predict future, but we can prepare for range of possibilities. That’s why we need to build on service delivery and human skills.

Claire Anderson

I do absolutely [agree with the core beliefs].  If people want face to face care and many do but good digital care may also be what some people want.  However we should have pharmacists in every pharmacy as frontline healthcare professionals advising people about their medicines and health. Be it in person or digitally.

David Gallier-Harris

I most definitely do [agree with the core beliefs]! We must embrace digital however not at the expense of providing access to healthcare professionals on the high street as an unintended consequence. Fund that healthcare service for what it actually does / can do for patients and the wider NHS.

Hala Jawad

Yes I do [agree with the core beliefs] and this time we are all going to unite together to ensure all pharmacists and organisations such as NPA have the support they need.

Harry Cotterill

Yes, yes, and yes [to the core beliefs]. The community pharmacist is a valuable resource that has been underutilised in the ever increasing NHS burden. It is a brilliant point for quick access to medication advice and should have access to feedback to GPs.  I agree that as the majority of our profession is in community pharmacy, it is where we are expected to be, it is where we need to remain primarily. I do slightly disagree with the final point of one or other option we need both GP + community pharmacists.

Hemant Patel

A pharmacy without a pharmacist is not a pharmacy. We must embrace developments and modernise what community pharmacy offers to the local public. Community pharmacy so called because we have a relationship with communities; prevention, health improvement & protection of communities.

Jane Devenish

You know I do [support the core beliefs] from the way I work with your team, staff & members. I believe CP is a vital part of H&SC system & that we need to carefully review and evolve how care delivered and funded so we can continue to support patients for years to come.

Thorrun Govind

Absolutely [I agree with the core beliefs]….I read it as the NPA celebrating what pharmacy is excellent at and saying we should embrace opportunities but not forget what really works – the ability to access face to face care is VITAL.

Tohidul Islam

The NPA core beliefs are in line with core principle of The Pharmacist Cooperative and The PDA road map and safer pharmacies charter so I wholeheartedly support these beliefs. The only way to make it a reality is for everyone to work together as one profession with one voice with one voice.