Former Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain president Steve Churton has made a series of complaints to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), including one of harassment, against the pharmacist who lodged allegations of bullying against him.

Churton (pictured), who was accused by Hala Jawad last year of bullying her on Twitter as she ran for election to the English Pharmacy Board, contacted the RPS on March 4 this year to insist Jawad’s claims against him had caused him personal distress and brought his character and integrity into question.

Jawad had passed details of the RPS’s investigation of her allegations to ICP and Churton also complained that by doing so, she breached the confidentiality of its complaints procedure. 

The RPS did not tell Jawad what decision it reached following its investigations and based on its own rules, the professional leadership body will not inform Churton what decision it reaches once its latest investigation has concluded.

In his complaint, Churton alleged that Jawad tried to influence the impartiality of the RPS conduct panel which looked into her complaint, brought into question his character and integrity before her allegations had been considered and undermined the integrity of the RPS.

Churton originally complained to the RPS on November 27, the day ICP ran the story ‘RPS investigates ex-president for alleged bullying,’ only to be told the professional leadership body was unable to pursue the matter as Jawad was not a member at that time.

Jawad re-registered as a member on Friday, March 1 and by Monday, March 4, Churton had contacted the RPS to submit his complaint.

When asked how he felt about the allegations levelled against him and how he knew Jawad had re-registered as an RPS member on March 1, given the RPS membership list is confidential, Churton told ICP: “Although not a view shared by everyone, I believe that all parties to any complaint made to the RPS concerning a member have an inalienable right to confidentiality and procedural fairness. Whether or not a complaint has been made, it would be inappropriate therefore for me to offer any comment.”

Jawad told ICP: “I don’t know what I have done wrong. I chose to whistle-blow because I felt I was not being supported enough and now I’m being attacked.”

The RPS said: “We can confirm that the RPS membership list is confidential. The RPS cannot comment on any complaints made to the organisation and subsequently to the membership committee and the GPhC as per our process.

“Our responsibility is, first and foremost, to our members and as such we have a strict governance process to protect all parties in cases where complaints are made.”