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24 January 2012
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has released a statement on the Health and Social Care Bill.
Chair of the English Pharmacy Board Lindsey Gilpin said, “There is uncertainty in the NHS at the moment as the Health and Social Care Bill continues to work its way through Parliament. The recent Health Select Committee report focused on the ability of the NHS to make efficiency savings and the upcoming meeting of the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges is likely to create further interest.
“The RPS has actively consulted members throughout the public policy-making process, seeking their views when the details contained within the Health and Social Care Bill were first published in consultation documents.
“We collated the opinions of members to construct a profession-wide view across all the sectors of pharmacy practice. Our members‘ views at the time suggested that we engage on the issues in the Bill rather than reject the Bill outright. These views have been presented to the pharmacy Minister, other members of the Government and members of both Houses of Parliament.
“The Future Forum has a good record of amending the Government’s views and the profession has benefitted from having a pharmacist, Ash Soni, as a member. We have no doubt that his influence around public health policy has meant the role of pharmacy has been recognised.
“Important issues like the decriminalisation of single dispensing errors, where the RPS is working with other pharmacy bodies, can only be progressed at the present time through the Health and Social Care Bill.
“Although we recognise that other professions and organisations have their views about the Bill, the Society is an independent organisation which represents pharmacists’ views. We have considered each point, taken a view on how it relates to the profession, built a complete picture and engaged in a constructive way that best represents our profession.
“The RPS has been consistent in its view that we must get the best for pharmacists in any legislation the Government puts forward. We welcome further discussion on this via our virtual networks.”