Our profession continues to face many challenges, not only those raised by the Department of Health consultation and the Carter review but also those such as the development of five-year integrated MPharm degree and improvements to training and experience in the preregistration year. Strong national pharmacy boards are needed to address these challenges and to lead the profession and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) forward.
Voting in the RPS national pharmacy board elections will soon begin and I am certain I am not alone in seeing voting as an important right that members should exercise.
In recent years many members have not voted, perhaps feeling they knew too little about the candidates.
Becoming sufficiently aware of the candidates is a two-way process and members have an opportunity to question candidates, through such routes as the husting pages on the Society’s website, as well as reading the candidates’ election statements and their letters on
The
Pharmaceutical Journal website.
Hopefully members will make full use of the opportunity to enter into discussion with candidates, through the Hustings pages by questioning them in respect of the challenges and on issues they believe are important for the development of the profession and the Society.
In turn it is to be hoped that all candidates will make full use of their opportunities, through written and video statements and letters to The Pharmaceutical Journal, to clearly outline their experience, strengths and visions to take our profession forward and to address the challenges facing the profession.
Douglas Hancox
Auckland
New Zealand
