The National Association of Women Pharmacists
The National Association of Women Pharmacists (NAWP) will close down its operations at the end of 2019.
In a statement published on 6 May 2019, the NAWP said it “could not continue to operate in its existing form because of numerous societal changes”. And it said that along with other membership organisations, “despite sentiments of support, they fall victim to busy lives, a monetarising culture and short-termism”.
The decision to close the NAWP was agreed at its annual general meeting, which was held on 30 April 2019.
Anita White, president of the NAWP, which represents women pharmacists across the UK, said: “The NAWP has always been a membership organisation financed by member subscriptions, with events having a registration fee and occasionally from modest sponsorship.”
However, she added that “membership of an organisation tends to be seen as a transaction with a measurable beneficial outcome, but without any commitment”.
Although activities will cease at the end of 2019, a statement from the NAWP said that it “hopes to find ways for continuity of involvement with European Women Pharmacists Meetings, Athena Swan programmes in schools of pharmacy and heritage functions”.
White added that the association would be “happy to undertake discussions to see how the focus of its interests can be continued and advanced”.
Asked how she felt about the dissolution of the association, White said: “Sadness is the predominant feeling. The fact that NAWP’s current model has reached the end of its days is not in itself a cause of sadness, but the potential lack of a way to continue its legacy is.
“The face-to-face interaction we have all enjoyed over the years has been an important part for lots of our members. The fact that our heritage and work on gender and diversity issues will not be continued at a time when, we think, it is still very important, is sad.”
