North East Pharmacy Practice Forum

Last night I attended the new North East Practice Forum at Sunderland University.

The keynote speaker covered several topics during her presentation however, I have to admit the most interesting part of the night was the questions asked afterwards.

The audience was made up of pharmacists, pre-reg's and students (the pre-reg's using it as an excuse to meet up with their hospital and community counter parts who they hadn't seen since graduation) who had attended to find out more about the direction of the new professional body.

Ultimately, the new professional body wants to be just that, new. It wants to shake of the mane of the old culture and start a fresh. To do this however, it needs the support of pharmacists across the country.

The take home messages I took from the evening were:

• pharmacists need to prove how useful we are, by carrying out research and audit - whilst doing our day jobs obviously, which will be shared between counties, regions and countries (in to Europe).
• pharmacists will be given credentials by their new professional body. Borrowing a term from the key note speaker, 'credentialling' will play a big part in the career plans of future pharmacists.

and finally, the most inspirational point of the evening, "you are a step away from speaking to a Minister [of parliament]" which advocates that every pharmacist in the country can have an impact in the future of pharmacy in this country.

I genuinely hope the RPS lives up to the expectations I have, so that when I do register in the summer, I won't think twice about becoming a member.