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A SENSIBLE MOVE

The merging of the Independent Pharmacy Federation with the National Pharmacy Association is a sensible move. With the refocusing of the NPA on independent community pharmacy, the IPF's raison d'être ceased to exist. The IPF was set up, in 2006, at a time when the NPA saw its role as representing the whole of community pharmacy, rather than only independents, which was its original role. The founders of the federation wanted independents to have a separate and distinctive voice and the IPF was duly established. It should be recorded that the Independent Community Pharmacist reported extensively on the founders' efforts and supported them in their endeavours. Since the foundation of the federation, ICP has provided a platform for the organisation to communicate its activities and views, a role that it has relished.

ALARM

There was an alarming headline in my paper the other day. It read: €Why an apple a day keeps the pharmacist away.€ The story was about how eating an apple cut the need for prescription medication, rather than preventing a visit to the doctor (as the more usual aphorism suggests). So that was where the bad news for pharmacists came in. But then the piece contradicted itself by saying that an apple a day might limit the severity of illnesses and make it more likely they could be dealt with by over-the-counter remedies. So we are back in the game after all. Phew! One person who did get back in the game after a visit to a pharmacy was the cricketer Richie Benaud, who passed away a few weeks ago. As a leg-break bowler, he was having trouble with the skin on his spinning finger. He called in at a pharmacy in New Zealand, where he was playing at the time, and an assistant advised him to try an oily calamine lotion. That did the trick and thereafter Benaud credited the assistant with saving his bowling career. So a visit to the pharmacy helped to keep English cricketers at bay!

IN A VACUUM

As I write, elections have been taking place for the national boards of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. It's not exactly been a high profile event. It took quite a while for the PJ to publish a list of candidates and, even when it did, I did not have much to go on in casting my ballot. Said publication seems to find reporting on the boards and what they get up to beneath it nowadays. In years past, we could read about decisions made on our behalf and something of the reasons for our representatives taking the actions that they had. But, no more. The election might as well be held in a vacuum.

DOUBLE YOUR MONEY!

There should be some red faces at the RPS, I reckon. According to the London SE1 Community Website, the Society's Lambeth premises, sold less than two years ago for £15 million, has now been sold to Taylor Wimpey for more than £30 million. Plans are approved for new luxury apartments on the site in an edifice to be named Palace View €“ the Society's building is across the road from Lambeth Palace. As the Society wends its way to a new location near the Tower of London, those responsible for the sale may be doing some soul searching.

SCOTTISH CPO

I'm glad to see that Rose Marie Parr has been appointed chief pharmaceutical officer in Scotland. She is highly personable and well respected across the whole of the UK, not just in Scotland. She takes over from the inimitable Bill Scott, who was something of a one-off, but a highly effective holder of the post nonetheless. In many ways, Scotland, with its encouragement of clinical pharmacy within the community, is showing the rest of the UK how things might be done. Bill Scott has been the driving force behind this. If Professor Parr can bring community pharmacists' representatives a bit closer to the implementation process she will be off to a good start.