The independent Clarke Inquiry will be the subject of a discussion forum to be held prior to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain's AGM on the evening of Wednesday 21 May.

A presentation will provide an overview of the report of the Clarke Inquiry into the principles, functions and structure of a future professional body for pharmacy. It will also highlight the Society Council's response to the report. The presentation will be followed by questions to Hemant Patel, the Society's President, Jeremy Holmes, the Society's Chief Executive and Registrar, and Nigel Clarke, Chair of the Clarke Inquiry.

Hemant Patel said: "The Clarke Inquiry has been crucial in charting the direction for a new professional body for pharmacy. This body will provide strategic leadership and practical support for its members in their daily activities. I encourage pharmacists from all sectors of the profession to attend the discussion forum and find out more how this will affect the future of the pharmacy profession."

The discussion forum will take place from 18.45 to 20.00 at the Society's headquarters, 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN. For more information about the forum and the AGM, please contact the Society's membership team at 0207 572 2332.

Notes

The Clarke Inquiry was set up in response to the programme of reform set out in the government's review of healthcare professional regulation in its White Paper, Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century. In a drive to modernise the pharmacy profession a new professional body will stand alongside the new General Pharmaceutical Council, which will take over the Society's regulatory function. For further information about the Clarke Inquiry and to view the Clarke Inquiry report, see: theclarkeinquiry

A summary of the Society's response to the Clarke Inquiry report is available on the Society's Webpage.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain