Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Voting for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) royal college proposals is to open on 13 March 2025 and close on 24 March 2025, it has been announced.
The RPS has also published details of the proposed changes to its Royal Charter, which include seeking to become a royal college — the Royal College of Pharmacy — and a charity, as well as create a wholly-owned (limited) subsidiary for the Society’s publishing activities.
As previously reported, the proposed move to charity status would require the creation of a board of trustees to run the charity and handle legal and financial responsibilities currently managed by the RPS Assembly. The Assembly, which would be renamed the Senate, would retain oversight of Great Britain-wide professional matters. The national pharmacy boards would also be renamed as councils.
The special resolution vote covers both the proposed amendments to the Royal Charter and the proposed renaming of the RPS to become the Royal College of Pharmacy.
Voting will be open to all full RPS members. Anyone who wants to vote but is not yet a member must become a full member by 28 February 2025.
A two-thirds majority of RPS members voting is required for the proposals to go ahead.
Claire Anderson, president of the RPS, said: “Following a period of intense engagement on our draft proposals, and while continuing to follow the necessary legal processes, I’m delighted to have reached this milestone of sharing the proposed changes to our Royal Charter and more clearly setting out the path to become a royal college, ahead of an all-member vote.
“The proposed charter changes are designed to empower [the] RPS to deliver on its strategy and ambitions as the professional leadership body for pharmacy.
“The modernised charter will ensure we have the agility needed to represent and lead the profession through transformational change and into the future,” she added.
Paul Bennett, chief executive of the RPS, said: “These changes to our charter will provide us with a robust foundation to champion the profession, support our members and advance patient care. Through them we are creating an organisation that is fit for the challenges of the 21st century, ensuring we remain at the forefront of innovation and professional leadership.”
