RPS board member slams society's 'meek' pharmacy funding cuts stance
A Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) board member is “breaking rank” to condemn the society’s “weak and meek” position on the funding cuts in England, he has told C+D.
Sultan ‘Sid’ Dajani told C+D this morning (June 1) that he will call a public motion to convince RPS president Ash Soni to “oppose the cuts publically”.
“I’m taking the RPS to task by asking [it] to stand behind the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) against the funding cuts,” he said.
Mr Dajani, who narrowly topped the RPS English board election results last month with 782 votes, claimed that the society “has not vociferously stood up against the funding cuts”.
By announcing the motion in public, he is aiming to prevent a “weak statement” from the RPS.
“By putting my neck on the line I’m showing that we are square against the decision [to cut pharmacies' funding].”
Mr Dajani said he would like to “promote transparency” within the RPS by having an open debate about the funding cuts.
He added that he had been motivated to bring the motion by C+D’s reporting of the appeal against the funding cuts brought by PSNC and the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) last week.
“[The cuts] are not evidence-based, they do not protect the public, they are anti safety and they are not going to achieve the Five Year Forward View of the government.”
C+D has contacted the RPS for comment.
Read Mr Dajani's statement and proposed motion here.
What do you think of Mr Dajani's motion?