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 professional leadership body for pharmacists, balancing advocacy, professional standards, policy engagement and member services. However, the establishment of a royal college presents an opportunity to focus with far greater clarity and ambition on professional excellence, clinical leadership and the advancement of pharmacy as a patient-facing, outcomes-driven clinical profession.
If the new royal college merely replicates the structures and priorities of the RPS under a different name, it risks confusion, duplication of effort and disengagement among pharmacists who are already navigating a complex professional landscape. Instead, it should position itself unambiguously as the guardian of advanced practice, post-registration training and clinical standards — analogous in stature and purpose to the royal colleges representing medicine and other health professions.
A distinct vision should include responsibility for setting rigorous, transparent pathways for credentialing and revalidation at advanced and consultant levels. It should champion research and embed a culture of excellence within everyday practice. It should also provide authoritative, evidence-based clinical guidance that supports pharmacists working across hospital, primary care, industry and academia.
Crucially, the royal college must define its role not primarily as a representative body but as a standard-setting, profession-shaping institution. Advocacy and professional lobbying are important functions, yet they should not overshadow the royal college’s central mission: raising the bar of practice and strengthening public trust in pharmacists as autonomous clinicians.
The transition to independent prescribing and the expanding clinical scope of pharmacists demand an institution that drives this transformation. The new royal college must be bold enough to set expectations that stretch the profession, while inclusive enough to support pharmacists at every stage of their careers.
In short, differentiation is not a matter of branding but of purpose. A royal college that embodies clinical excellence, structured progression and uncompromising professional standards will build on the work of the RPS and will ultimately serve both the profession and the public more effectively.
Bruce Warner
Candidate for the inaugural elections to the English Pharmacy Advisory Council
