Article by Scottish Pharmacy Board Chair John McAnaw
Engagement with the membership of the RPS in Scotland is a key priority for the Scottish Pharmacy Board to ensure we continue to deliver a valuable product, and support members to be the best they can be. I also believe there is a responsibility on Scottish Board members too to engage face-to-face wherever possible, to hear what members are saying and to ensure the RPS can respond to what they hear.
When Local Practice Forums came into being, I remember wondering whether they would be too big, geographically, to support local networking and enable member access to planned evening events being run in the larger towns and cities. I know this has been an ongoing issue for some.
The introduction of the RPS Local approach I think will change this, and extend the reach of the RPS to involve more members than before at live events, and virtually. Not only do we now have RPS Local Coordinators in each Health Board leading and running events, but we hope to develop ‘live streaming’ and podcasts of these events in the future to allow greater access for members living further away or those who missed the event due to other commitments. This will mean that members will not only have access to their own RPS Local events but to other events too that are (or have been) held elsewhere across Scotland.
An ambitious plan, but one with the potential to make access to RPS Local events easier for members and better support networking and shared learning going forward. The Scottish Board fully supports the RPS Local approach, and very much look forward to seeing it fulfill its potential in delivering for members, giving you the support you need to further develop yourself and your practice.
All RPS Local events in Scotland in 2018 will be available for booking through the RPS event page. Dates and venues to be announced in due course. If you want to get instant updates on any of our local events, please follow @RPSScotLocal on Twitter.