How RPS members can run for election to the Welsh Pharmacy Board in 2016

The scheme for the 2016 election provides for three places on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Welsh Pharmacy Board for members or Fellows who work or live wholly or mainly in Wales.

The three places are to be allocated as follows:

• Two for a member or Fellow whose substantive practice is in the community practice sector.
• One for any eligible member or Fellow.

In the above context “substantive practice” is taken to refer to a situation where a pharmacist spends more than 50% of his or her professional working time in practice in the sector in question.

In addition to the three Welsh Pharmacy Board places that have reached the end of their term, there is one ‘casual vacancy’. This is for an unreserved place for a tenure of two years, due to a resignation from the board in September 2015. This position will be filled by the member or Fellow from any sector with the highest number of votes remaining in the election after the three regular places on the Welsh Pharmacy Board have been filled.

Nominations for candidates in the Welsh Pharmacy Board election can not be made until 27 February 2016 and must be made on the form issued by the independent scrutineer, UK Engage, or online via the UK Engage website (www.uk-engage.org/rps), and must be signed by one member nominator whose own address on the Society’s database must be in Wales (or overseas if the member concerned has opted to vote in the Welsh election*). members who nominate candidates must have completed 2016 membership processes.

*A member or Fellow who is resident overseas at the time the electoral roll is closed shall be entitled to nominate a candidate for the English Pharmacy Board unless he or she has opted to be an elector of one of the other National Pharmacy Boards.

Nominations for election to these vacancies must be received by 12pm on 1 April 2016. Nominations should preferably be submitted online at the UK Engage website or by email to rps@uk-engage.org. Alternatively nominations may be submitted by post to UK Engage, Image House, 10 Acorn Business Park, Heaton Lane, Stockport SK4 1AS. For further information please contact the UK Engage Helpline on 0345 209 3770.

A nomination may be withdrawn by notice in writing, signed by the prospective candidate and delivered to rps@uk-engage.org or UK Engage, Image House, 10 Acorn Business Park, Heaton Lane, Stockport SK4 1AS no later than 5pm on 14 April 2016.

Eligibility criteria

1. A member shall be eligible for election only if he or she is a member or Fellow of the Society.
2. A retired member of the Society shall be eligible for election.
3. A member or Fellow may only stand for election to one board.
4. A member or Fellow shall be eligible for election to the Welsh Pharmacy Board only if he or she works or lives wholly or mainly in Wales.
5. If, by resolution of a board, any elected member of that Board has ceased to meet the requirements relating to his or her residency he or she shall cease to be a member of the board in question.
6. Any elected member of a board who changes his or her substantive practice following his or her election shall be eligible to serve the full term for which he or she was elected.
7. No member or Fellow shall be eligible for election if he or she has failed to pay by the date and time fixed for the return of nomination forms (1 April 2016) any subscription or other debt due and payable by him or her to the Society.
8. No member or Fellow shall be eligible for election if he or she has been charged with a criminal offence or has been notified by the Society or any professional, regulatory or public body that he or she is subject to investigation in relation to his or her conduct or competence, and the matter is unresolved.
9. No member or Fellow shall be eligible for election if he or she is employed by the Society.

Periods of office

Board members are elected for a three-year period, with the exception of the casual vacancy which has a two-year period of office.

Timetable

The electoral roll will be closed at 5pm on 14 April 2015. Only those members and Fellows who have paid the 2016 membership fee by this date will be eligible to vote.

It is expected that voting papers will be emailed (or posted if requested by 14 April) to the electorate on or about 6 May 2016. The deadline for voting (either online or by post) will be 12pm on 27 May 2016.

Newly elected board members will take office at 00.01 on 20 June 2016.

Mair Davies

Returning officer for Wales

Welsh Pharmacy Board election 2016