National pharmacy board meetings: February 2026

Each of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS’s) national pharmacy boards held meetings at their respective headquarters in February 2026. 

These marked the final meetings of the national pharmacy boards before the Society’s transition to become the Royal College of Pharmacy, which is planned — subject to formal approval from the Privy Council — for April 2026. 

Guests at the meetings included: 

• Paul Bennett, chief executive, attended all three meetings;
• Claire Anderson, president, attended all three meetings;
• Liz North, associate director for communications and marketing, attended the English and Scottish board meetings;
• Heidi Wright, English practice and policy lead, attended the English board meeting;
• Iwan Hughes, public affairs and policy executive for Wales; and Alwyn Fortune, policy and engagement lead for Wales, attended the Welsh board meeting;
• Fiona McIntyre, policy and practice lead for Scotland; and Ross Barrow, head of external relations for Scotland, attended the Scottish board meeting.

Workplan update

At all three meetings, board members were updated on progress and priorities for the Society’s Great Britain workplan, noting that there had been discussions about this at the board’s working days held the day before open business.

At the Welsh Pharmacy Board (WPB) meeting, Geraldine McCaffrey, director for Wales, said that working day discussions had focused on policy and advocacy. She said board members had discussed independent prescribing, mindful of the new cohort in 2026, members of which will be independent prescribers at the point of registration. 

McCaffrey added that board members were cognisant of “scaffolding requirements” for new prescribers, including definitions of scope of practice, and keen for the RPS to do more in this area.

She also noted that the Society’s other two country teams have had one-year work plans, but Wales had at two-year one. The question of how that has worked was discussed and there was agreement that Wales would discuss this with England and Scotland. There was also a suggestion that a three-year plan could work, with a detailed year one but more high-level years two and three “as emerging issues come through”. 

At the English Pharmacy Board (EPB) meeting, Amandeep Doll, director for England, said that discussions had focused around support for newly qualified pharmacists on ways of working in prescribing. On workforce wellbeing, Doll said that the Society was already doing things on that but could consider a more strategic approach, with a plan to map what already happens in that area and identify any gaps.

Speaking at the Scottish Pharmacy Board (SPB) meeting, Laura Wilson, director for Scotland, said the board had been asked to consider what in the current workplan is finished, what could be moved and what the main focuses should be. 

She explained that the board felt that digital access to shared patient records and pharmacogenomics should remain focus areas. 

“Everything we do should come back to patient safety, front and centre,” Wilson added.

General Pharmacutical Council consultation 

Each of the boards was asked for views to inform the Society’s response to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)’s ‘Consultation on draft rules for Responsible Pharmacists and standards for Responsible Pharmacists and Superintendent Pharmacists’, which closes on 25 March 2026. 

On the question of whether the GPhC should set additional minimum requirements for a pharmacist to become a superintendent pharmacist, discussions in the WPB meeting suggested that whilst standards should not be restrictive, they do need to be safe. Many attendees said they didn’t think for the community sector that additional standards were needed.

At the EPB meeting, vice chair Brendon Jiang said that there were no restrictions on being a superintendent, but he felt that experience was important. 

Discussing whether the regulator should set minimum standards for a pharmacist to be the Responsible Pharmacist, members of the WPB felt that as all pharmacists already have to meet GPhC standards, more standards could limit the pool of available staff and the existing standard should be sufficient. 

At the EPB meeting, board member Sibby Buckle said she felt no further requirements were needed. 

Each board discussed the question of whether, in the event of a superintendent pharmacist leaving their role or taking extended absence, the GPhC should require pharmacy owners to appoint a new permanent or interim superintendent immediately.

Discussions at the SPB meeting highlighted the need for clarity on what constitutes an “extended period of absence”. 

Bennett said that he could not personally envisage a situation without a superintendent in place; the “concept of a gap between one leaving and one being appointed could be troubling: If you are incapacitated, you are responsible for identifying someone else”, he explained.

Constitution and governance update 

Bennett updated all three boards on the organisations progress towards becoming a royal college. He explained that the Society was on track with its ambition to launch the Royal College of Pharmacy in April 2026, subject to approval from the charity regulators and the Privy Council.

He confirmed that the Charity Commission is minded to approve the transition subject to formal approval from Privy Council, which should be able to formally consider the Society’s application in upcoming meetings. He said he was optimistic that the council’s meeting in March 2026 would be an opportunity to consider this, although there was also a window in April 2026. 

Bennett went on to point out that the transition regulations, which were gazetted in late 2025, include provisions for any delay in the transition. He also noted that the upcoming Annual General Meeting was planned for 7 April 2026 and that there were plans for an event celebrating the achievements of the RPS and the launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy, details of which would be communicated shortly. 

“There is a real sense of excitement around the transition to a royal college. We must build upon heritage of the RPS, while seizing the opportunity that lies before us”, he said. 

Public affairs updates

Scottish Pharmacy Board 

Barrow mentioned the Scottish elections on 7 May 2026, polls for which are currently suggesting that the Scottish National Party (SNP) are set for a majority, with Reform in second place. Barrow also shared results of a survey of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), carried out by an independent body on the Society’s behalf. All MSPs had heard of RPS Scotland, with good awareness in the department of health and social care, and the health, social care and sport committee. Those MSPs standing down were more likely to know only a little about the Society. 

Half of those polled viewed the Society favourably, with the others holding no particular opinion, Barrow added. 

Welsh Pharmacy Board 

Hughes noted that a high turnover of Senedd members (MSs) was expected in the elections scheduled for 7 May 2026, with a possibility that 70–80% of MSs will be newly elected, regardless of which party wins. He explained that the Society’s strategy was to pause events at the Senedd until after the election and instead focus on key players that can influence party manifestos.

He said that Society representatives had already attended the Plaid Cymru conference and spoke to ministers there, adding that the Society is about to begin simple pharmacy briefings with candidates, which will include independent prescribing and the increasing clinical roles of pharmacists.

The Society has also booked a place at the first Senedd “marketplace” in June 2026 to meet new MSs. 

Any other business 

The Welsh board paid tribute to departing board members, Lowri Puw and Richard Evans. 

Puw described board members as “valued colleagues and supported friends” and joined other board members in thanking Bennett and Anderson for their leadership and support of the Welsh voice of pharmacy.

Evans, who while unable to join the meeting, sent a statement saying that his time on the board has been an honour and a privilege, and that he “will treasure the memories”. 

• The dates for the first National Pharmacy Advisory Council meetings were set for 3 and 4 June 2026