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 challenges of the past. Many of the medical colleges are way ahead with this. The gap is not just numerical; it reflects visibility, influence and trust. To close that gap, we must rethink what membership means:
- Membership must be tied to identity, not just services: Pharmacy needs a royal college people join because it reflects who they are, not just what they receive.
- Engagement must be local, not just national: A London HQ alone cannot deliver meaningful connection. We need regional hubs, physical and virtual, where members can access events, leadership development, networking and local problem‑solving. Engagement grows when people feel seen in their own context.
- Membership must offer genuine value: Beyond insurance, members should have access to practical and accredited sector-specific tool-kits, leadership and management programmes, mentoring networks, clear career development pathways, discounts on courses/conferences and policy briefings, to name a few.
- Pharmacy needs a modern PR and marketing strategy: We must invest in telling our story. A coordinated communications function would showcase our impact, strengthen public voice, position pharmacy as a modern clinical profession and build pride and identity across sectors.
Engagement to increase membership is not a ‘nice to have’. It is the foundation on which everything else rests: inclusion, innovation, influence and impact.
Kandarp Thakkar
Candidate for the inaugural elections to the English Pharmacy Advisory Council
