The Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s proposals for change

As one of the seven statutory advisory committees constituted to advise Welsh Government, the role of the Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee is to provide expert professional advice to Welsh Ministers and Welsh Government officials on all matters relating to the pharmaceutical profession. In particular this includes, but is not limited to, health service policy, delivery and workforce issues such as the education and training needs of post-registration pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and their support staff.

On 12 September 2024, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) published proposals to seek to register as a charity and move to become The Royal College of Pharmacy. On 12 February, the RPS published further details of its plans including the proposed changes to its royal charter and plans for a special resolution vote of RPS members to take place during March 2025.

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee recognises the role pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the delivery of patient centred care has expanded significantly in recent years, and that legislative changes and new standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists, and in due course pharmacy technicians, will further enhance the opportunities pharmacy professionals have to contribute to improving outcomes for patients.

The committee is aware the shape of pharmacy professional leadership in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is rapidly evolving. The UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership and the establishment of the UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s independent review of its constitution and governance, have all identified the need for a clearer, more inclusive voice for professional leadership which represents the whole of pharmacy in every part of the UK.

Strong and effective professional leadership is critical to advancing professional practice in a way which ensures a profession delivers and continually improves the care it provides to patients. 

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee therefore fully supports the creation of a Royal College of Pharmacy as the first step to creating a professional leadership body which with time can evolve to truly represent the whole pharmacy profession.

Becoming the Royal College of Pharmacy

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee supports the RPS's ambition to become a royal college. The change will elevate the professional standing of pharmacists and align the RPS with other professional leadership bodies in health.

Public recognition of the role and significance of royal colleges is greater, and the change will support enhancing public confidence in pharmacy. By increasing awareness and understanding of the profession, this change will contribute to improved patient engagement and trust.

Reforming the assembly and establishing a new senate and national councils

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee endorses the proposal to reform the RPS Assembly and introduce a new senate with a Great Britain-wide remit for professional leadership. This restructured governance model will enable the RPS to provide strategic direction and support the profession while respecting the devolved nature of healthcare. The establishment of national councils will ensure that policy development remains tailored to the unique healthcare landscape of each nation, including Wales.

Becoming a registered charity

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee supports the proposal to become a registered charity. This move will enhance transparency, accountability and governance. As a charity, the RPS will be accountable to trustees with a legal obligation to ensure the college pursues activities consistent with its charter and will be subject to oversight by the Charity Commission. These measures will reinforce public confidence in the college’s operations. The change will also create new opportunities for accessing resources and funding to further its mission, benefitting pharmacy professionals and the patients they serve.

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee support for the RPS’s proposals is based on the following key considerations:

The need to adapt to change:

Pharmacy practice is evolving driven by advancements in medicines development, health technology, data science, and artificial intelligence. These changes will have significant implications for patient care and the profession. The proposals will help ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy teams are well-equipped to navigate these challenges and seize emerging opportunities.

Professionalism must be enhanced:

The transition to a royal college and reforms to governance will strengthen the professional identity of pharmacy. This will help attract and retain future generations of pharmacists and ensure pharmacists continue to be recognised as critical to the delivery of effective healthcare. Core functions of a royal college including setting curricula and credentialing practice, will enhance patient safety by supporting pharmacists to demonstrate not only competence but excellence in practice.

Patient care in Wales is supported:

The proposed reforms will require the professional leadership body to better support pharmacy teams in delivering high-quality patient care. Through strong professional leadership and improved access to the latest evidence, a royal college will help ensure pharmacists in Wales can meet the changing needs of patients, address health inequalities and provide access to high quality pharmaceutical care to patients in every part of Wales.

Leadership bodies operate transparently and are accountable:

Becoming a registered charity will reinforce the commitment to high standards of governance and financial stewardship. Oversight by the Charity Commission will provide additional assurance to members and stakeholders that the royal college operates with integrity and a clear focus on benefiting the public and the profession.

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee wholly supports the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s proposals to become the Royal College of Pharmacy.

The proposals will support advancing pharmacy practice and the role of all pharmacy professionals. We believe these proposals are a crucial first step to ensuring pharmacy maximises its contribution to improving patient outcomes in Wales and creates a truly inclusive professional leadership body.

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee believes that a vote in favour of establishing a Royal College, will be the first crucial step to enable a collaborative and inclusive approach for the future of pharmacy professional leadership, and recommends that all pharmacists who are members of the RPS to participate in the special resolution vote which will take place between 12 and 25 March.

The Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee would welcome the opportunity to work with the RPS, the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK, the UKPPLAB (Independent UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board), specialist pharmacy Groups and other stakeholders, on the development of inclusive professional leadership within the pharmacy profession following the outcome of the vote.