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11.03.10 -
Society appoints new Chief Executive
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has announced the appointment of Helen Gordon as Chief Executive of the new Professional Leadership Body. Mrs Gordon will join the Society on the 1st of July.
Mrs Gordon comes to the Society from her current position as Chief Executive of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Prior to leading the RCOG for the past five years, Mrs Gordon was Chief Executive of Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust from 2000-2005.
RPSGB President, Steve Churton said: "I am delighted to welcome Helen to the Society at this pivotal time in its history. Helen is a highly regarded senior manager who has a clear understanding of the healthcare arena. This appointment will bring skills, knowledge and experience to the new Professional Leadership Body and will ensure we deliver exceptional service to members in all areas.”
The Chairs of the three national Pharmacy Boards, England Chair Lindsey Gilpin, Wales Chair Nuala Brennan and Scotland Chair Sandra Melville said: "We warmly welcome Helen as Chief Executive of the new Professional Leadership Body. This is a hugely exciting time for pharmacy and we look forward to working closely with her and our members to develop the future for the profession across Great Britain."
Professor Nick Barber, Chair of the Appointment Panel, said: “Helen made a powerful impression on the interview panel. A warm and personable character, Helen brings a wealth of health related management experience to the post. With overall strategy being set by the Boards and Assembly in the future, Helen is the person with the skills to make it happen, and to deliver the membership organisation pharmacists deserve.”
Speaking about her appointment, Mrs Gordon said: "I'm delighted to have this opportunity to join the Society as it moves towards an exciting new future.
“Pharmacists play a vital role in providing effective health care on a daily basis across a wide variety of settings. I very much look forward to leading the Society in its core mission of providing high quality services to members and championing their professional interests."
Jeremy Holmes, who joined the Society in 2007, continues to lead the demerger process as Chief Executive and Registrar. A date for the formal transfer of his responsibilities for the professional body to Mrs Gordon will be announced once the date of the demerger is known.
From 1st July Mrs Gordon will be involved in an intensive period of induction and orientation ensuring her readiness for the new role of Chief Executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, a professional body that will be clearly focused on the needs and aspirations of members.
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01.03.10 -
Society reacts to House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report into Homeopathic Products
The Society’s Chief Scientific Advisor Jayne Lawrence says; “We are delighted that the committee has agreed with our recommendation that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) should not allow homeopathic product labels to make claims without evidence of efficacy.
We also note that the Report calls for the Government to withdraw NHS funding. The Society believes that all medicines available on the NHS should be efficacious and give value for money. This is important, not least because there is the potential for funding of conventional medicines to be compromised by the use of homeopathic products.
Finally, we are pleased that the report agrees with our conclusion that there is no evidence to support the clinical efficacy of homoeopathic products beyond a placebo effect, and no scientific basis for homoeopathy.”
View the recommendations made to the committee.
Click here to see the
Advice for Pharmacists so you are aware of RPSGB’s guidance on the issue.
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22.02.10 -
Significant developments with Local Practice Forums
There have been significant developments with Local Practice Forums in England over the past month. Around fifteen LPFs are on the verge of becoming active, with their steering groups in place and their very first LPF events just around the corner. Events are being held right across the country, attended by the LPF Facilitators and EPB members to support the process of moving towards a physical and virtual LPF network for all members.
The West Yorkshire LPF has been showcasing the way forward by holding an event early this month, which was attended by around 100 members. Hosted by Gill Hawksworth, it created more awareness of LPFs and demonstrated how they will provide benefit and value for members.
Over in East Kent, Stephen Foster is looking for looking for support from his local colleagues in driving the profession forward as we enter a period of significant change. Having been identified as LPF Lead for the developing East Kent LPF, he looking for as many local members as possible to engage with the process, and is asking local leaders to come forward to form part of the LPF Transitional Steering Group. Stephen says, “LPFs are intended to be the outposts of the English Pharmacy Board; developed BY the members and FOR the members of the profession locally. It is vital that we engage as many of our colleagues as possible from the start, so that the LPF becomes what we truly want it to be."
If you believe that you have the necessary skills to lead part of this work as a member of the East Kent LPF Transitional Steering Group, or if you would like to be involved more as the LPF develops, then please get in touch with Stephen at Pierremont Pharmacy by telephone on (01843) 600309, or by email.
Meanwhile, a new support group for pharmacists in the Thames Valley region is calling for local pharmacists to have their say in how it will be run. The Thames Valley Local Practice Forum, which will replace the four RPSGB branches covering Berks, Bucks, Oxford and Slough, will help pharmacists with their continuing education as well as provide networking and development opportunities. The steering committee driving this LPF is appealing to pharmacists for their input into how the new forum can best serve and support its members. As part of a scoping exercise, RPSGB branch meetings in March and April will be used as an opportunity to gather pharmacists’ views on how they want their local groups to evolve.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be involved in the creation of the new support group in Thames Valley region. It will only be as good as the input members provide, and the steering group would be delighted to hear your views on the types of meetings, conferences and support you need to help you develop as pharmacists. If you live in and around the Thames Valley area, please get in touch with theThames Valley LPF.
LPF members will soon be able to take advantage of virtual networking opportunities through the recently launched features on the new website. Groups will be set up for each LPF which will allow members to communicate online with each other from the same LPF and from different LPFs by sharing news items, discussions, events, documents and multimedia at their convenience. Click here to have a look at the groups and discussions currently available.
For more information on LPFs, please click here.
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