Statement from the UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board: Royal College of Pharmacy a great opportunity to move forward with confidence and purpose

“We congratulate the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and its elected representatives, staff, members and fellows on their success in securing the support to establish a Royal College of Pharmacy. It’s a moment of great opportunity and celebration for pharmacy as a whole, enabling us to move forward with greater confidence and purpose.

“The next 12 months will be hugely important for pharmacy professional leadership, requiring even more collaboration, engagement and sure-footed delivery. As a Board, we’re ready to facilitate the conversation on next steps, so we can collectively establish a sustainable and effective model of pharmacy professional leadership with a process that is transparent, inclusive, and shaped by the needs of all pharmacy professionals.

“We welcome the commitment the RPS has made already to working closely with the Board in the co-creation of the royal college and look forward to early engagement on the principles of co-creation, processes and a clear roadmap.

“We’re committed to supporting exploration of potential options for pharmacy professional leadership, taking account of the royal college development, with members of pharmacy professional leadership bodies and specialist professional groups, key stakeholders and the whole pharmacy team so there is full discussion of options.

“In particular, we’ll actively seek early engagement with pharmacy technicians, specialist professional groups and wider professional groups, so we listen to their views and questions on the future model for pharmacy professional leadership and on the implications for them of the royal college, and ensure those who have not yet had a voice in these discussions are heard and considered in shaping the future.

“It is essential that we build on this momentum, working together with trust and openness to create a strong, unified and positive voice that truly reflects the breadth of pharmacy in the UK.”

To contact the Secretariat to the UK PPL Advisory Board please email: england.ukpplboard@nhs.net