RPS board member resigns over royal college strategy

Previous RPS president Steve Churton has resigned from its England board after taking a “principled stance” over how the body is working towards becoming a royal college.

“I wish the RPS good fortune on its journey to a more relevant, respected and influential destination”

A Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) board member has resigned from one of its national pharmacy boards after taking a stand against how it is working towards becoming a royal college.

Steve Churton yesterday (November 19) announced that he has stepped down from the English Pharmacy Board (EPB) after joining it in May.

It comes after the RPS revealed plans to “establish a stronger and more collaborative leadership body” by seeking to “register as a charity and move to become a royal college - The Royal College of Pharmacy” in September.

Read more: RPS announces bid to become ‘Royal College of Pharmacy’

In a statement on X, Churton said that “it will come as no surprise to the pharmacy profession that I want to see a successfully reformed RPS to create a Royal College of Pharmacy that drives excellence into all areas of pharmacy practice”.

“This will only come about through a genuine desire to collaborate and to value and proactively draw upon the experience, expertise and goodwill of members and others who wish to support the necessary changes,” he added.

He said that “if the culture, governance and leadership of an organisation combine to limit the opportunity for you to pursue your commitment to the electorate and the wider profession to advance this objective, you need to take a principled stance and call it out”.

Read more: RPS Society or College, as health professionals let’s continue with the (collegiate!) cooperation

“That is why I have stepped down from the EPB and made clear to the RPS leadership the detailed reasons for my decision,” he added.

Churton stressed that he is “delighted that the RPS has eventually recognised the need to propose the necessary changes to its constitution and governance arrangements to deliver the Royal College of Pharmacy that is needed for the future leadership of the profession”.

“I will absolutely continue to support the cause whenever and wherever I can, and I wish the RPS good fortune on its journey to a more relevant, respected and influential destination,” he added.

From board member to “commentator”

RPS chief executive Paul Bennett said that the organisation is “sorry to lose [Churton‘s] experience from the EPB and recognises his contribution to the RPS both as a past president and longtime campaigner for the RPS’s ambition to become a Royal College”.

“We know that he is extremely supportive of our proposals for change and that he was delighted to hear about these when he was elected to the board,” he added.

Bennett highlighted Churton’s “strong and committed personal views” about the RPS’s “journey to the future” and said it looks forward to “his continued and valued contribution as a commentator rather than a board member” .

Read more: PDA slams ‘disingenuous’ RPS as P-med self-selection row rages on

After spending 20 years at Boots, Churton joined the RPS as its president in 2008 when it was called RPSGB and later oversaw the body dropping “Great Britain” from its title in 2010.

He secured three terms as its president before stepping down from the role in October 2010, and had gone on to other positions in the sector.

He was chair of the board of trustees for charity Pharmacist Support in 2013 and was vice-chair of West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for a decade until 2022.

Read more: ‘Very positive’ turnout: Fewer than 2,000 votes for RPS leadership

C+D previously reported that the RPS’ move to becoming a royal college “will empower [it] to better advocate for pharmacy and deliver [its] mission”, according to president Professor Claire Anderson.

A two-thirds majority of voting RPS members will need to show their support for the proposal for it to go forwards, with the vote expected to take place “early in 2025”.

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