The RPS announced plans in September to “seek to register as a charity and move to become a royal college – The Royal College of Pharmacy” - and C+D last week (January 16) learned that a vote on this move is set to take place in March.
A spokesperson told C+D that the RPS is planning for a vote in March but is still confirming the exact date in consultation with its legal team and Privy Council.
The membership body had previously said that the vote was expected to take place “early in 2025”.
Read more: RPS announces bid to become ‘Royal College of Pharmacy’
The move comes after “a comprehensive independent review” of the RPS was carried out over the course of 18 months that focused “on how [it] can best...fulfil its leadership role”, the RPS said in September.
“The proposed transition to a royal college aims to establish a stronger and more collaborative leadership body that can better deliver its strategic ambitions,” it added.
And it explained that for the proposals to be submitted to the Privy Council and charity regulators, the vote must receive a two-thirds majority from RPS members.
Final proposals
An RPS report revealed earlier this month (January 10) that the body had “travelled the length and breadth of Great Britain” in October and November to seek feedback on its bid to become a royal college, among other changes.
“It was clear from several of our conversations during these events that many stakeholders within the RPS’s membership and the wider pharmacy community will want to examine carefully the final proposals and proposed wording for our charter when it is ready,” it said.
And it added that it “will set out the finalised proposals for change [in] January 2025”.
Read more: RPS board member resigns over royal college strategy
Meanwhile, former RPS president Steve Churton announced that he had resigned from the English Pharmacy Board (EPB) in November due to his “principled stance” against how the body is working towards becoming a royal college.
“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,” he said at the time.
“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.
