AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO A
PROFESSIONAL BODY FOR PHARMACY

The Clarke Inquiry Report of the Independent Inquiry into a Professional Body for Pharmacy has now been published. It can be found on the Inquiry Publications page under Report.

Following the programme of reform set out in the government's review of healthcare professional regulation in the 21 February 2007 White Paper; Trust, assurance and safety: the regulation of health professionals, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) Council, in June 2007, undertook to commission an Independent Inquiry into the possible options for a new professional leadership body for pharmacy.

The Inquiry has been set up to allow the profession the widest possible debate around the issues relating to a future professional body for pharmacy. Based on that consultation, the Inquiry will make recommendations to the RPSGB for how that can be achieved.

Nigel Clarke is chairing the Inquiry, working with a Secretariat and Panel of three expert advisers. The consultation document of the Inquiry was completed and made available on this website from 01 November 2007. It is available to download under the Consultation Papers menu listed above.

The Inquiry is in the process of holding a series of public evidence meetings with the profession, nationally until 28 January 2008. These are running in conjunction with an online e-evidence submission service. To read more on how to do this, please consult the Evidence Submissions section of the website.

In addition to these public meetings, formal evidence sessions are taking place in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff until 10 January 2008. The consultation period will close 31 January 2008 and the final report will be presented to the RPSGB in mid-March in time for their Council meeting in April 2008.

The Inquiry into the principles, functions and structure of a future professional body for pharmacy is being undertaken by an independent chairman, Nigel Clarke. The views expressed in any of the publications on this website or in connection with the Independent Inquiry are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.