Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) has become the first negotiating body to officially extend membership to employee pharmacists, following a "landmark" decision by its board.

Membership had previously been reserved for Scottish pharmacy contractors who paid a voluntary contribution, but the CPS board had agreed employee pharmacists should become ‘associate members' for free and benefit from its information updates and insurance services, the organisation announced on Friday (January 31).

Membership packs started arriving in pharmacies on Monday (February 3), inviting pharmacists to sign up on the CPS website. They will then be given a username and temporary password while their details are verified.

CPS chief executive Harry McQuillan said sharing his organisation's expertise would "strengthen pharmacy practice throughout Scotland and benefit patient care"	More on pharmacy in Scotland Scottish pilot could influence UK rollout of gluten-free dispensing service Lloyds chief rejects Scottish plans for patient link to a named pharmacist Scottish government's independent prescribing plan hailed as 'visionary and groundbreaking'
	CPS policy development pharmacist Matt Barclay said the negotiating body had always received calls from employee pharmacists needing advice. Offering these pharmacists associate membership was a way of formalising this service and supporting them directly, he told C+D.

CPS chief executive Harry McQuillan said sharing his organisation's expertise would "strengthen pharmacy practice throughout Scotland and benefit patient care".

As CPS members, pharmacists have access to a "comprehensive" information service, publications on local health services and the drug tariff, as well as travel and professional indemnity insurance.

Scottish locum pharmacist Anas Hassan said he had signed up for CPS membership on Friday.

"For pharmacists north of the border, signing up is essential if we are to sustain connectivity with the latest developments within community pharmacy in Scotland. I was also attracted by the possibilities of having an influence in what happens at CPS," he told C+D.

Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) and PSNC, who both represent contractors, told C+D they had no plans to create a membership category for employee pharmacists.