Letters

Letter

The engagement imperative

As we begin a new chapter with our royal college, one truth is unavoidable: its long‑term success will depend far more on its members than on its structures. You can elect the most capable Advisory Council in the world, but without strong membership and meaningful engagement, we risk repeating the…

Published: 2 March 2026

Letter

Exploring strategies for improved engagement and value

Over recent years, there has been a notable decline in membership numbers. This trend warrants careful consideration and action from the new royal college. It is imperative that the organisation investigates how it utilises media and other communication channels to maximise engagement with both memb…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

The new royal college must be different

I am writing to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the creation of the new Royal College of Pharmacy and to argue that its success will depend on articulating a vision that is meaningfully distinct from that of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). The RPS has long served as the profess…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

Challenges facing the pharmacist today

Over the past 31 years as a pharmacist, I have reflected on how far our profession has come and on the questions we still struggle to confront. We have evolved from a traditional dispensing role to independent prescribers and advanced clinical practitioners. Alongside this, the pharmacy assistan…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

From first port-of-call to public health partner: what the public tells us

Community pharmacy is increasingly positioned as a cornerstone of public health delivery; however, we cannot assume the public’s readiness to engage with these services. Professor Delyth James, Jordan Smith and I analysed free‑text responses from the ‘Public perceptions of the role of…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

Embedding research into practice: making protected time work

I believe recent calls for protected learning time for pharmacy professionals are timely and necessary. While research is one of the four pillars of professional practice, pharmacy professionals across the UK show a lack of confidence and activity in this area1–3. Time pressure is consistent…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

Supporting pharmacists beyond graduation

As a full-time academic, I see how universities provide safety nets for students, careers clinics, CV and LinkedIn surgeries, mock interviews and mentoring conversations that extend far beyond the curriculum. Thinking back to my own journey, that guidance mattered. But what happens after graduati…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

Pharmacy in the fourth industrial revolution

When I was an MPharm student, I was told there were three career paths: community, hospital or industry. Today, pharmacists work in digital health, policy, academia, research, consulting and entrepreneurship and system redesign, yet many students and early-career pharmacists still do not see these p…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

Pharmacy in England stands at a system-defining moment

The move to independent prescribing at registration and the transition of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) toward royal college status are not incremental developments, these are structural reforms that will shape our profession across community, primary care, hospital, industry and acade…

Published: 25 February 2026

Letter

Building an influential and inclusive Royal College of Pharmacy

I come as: A proven pharmacy leader with 20 plus years in managing services in secondary care, collaborating closely with primary care and academia to advance safe, patient-centred practice and professional excellence; A champion for mental health, equity and workforce sustainability, d…

Published: 25 February 2026