The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) elections will shortly take place. We feel that this is a good opportunity to showcase all the benefits of joining the RPS so have extended an open invitation to all candidates to write on Pharmacy in Practice and share their opinions.
Hala Jawad
Why should voters vote for you?
I intend to support RPS members to better engage with each other, and build genuinely closer
relationships through my extensive networking skills and providing development opportunities with support at a time where the pharmacy world needs it the most. This is essential if we are to successfully meet the vision and aspiration of the five-year forward view to deliver better patient care and improve patient outcomes. I will reach out as far as possible to understand and support their cause by influencing the wider board members to take action.
What are your ambitions for the Society?
To be a united voice and work together rather than separate organisations, by ensuring regular and closer communications with all national pharmacy organisations.
We are firmly embedded within a multidisciplinary workforce, therefore it’s important to continue working towards a Royal College status to ensure that we work within the new transformation effectively – this includes sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) ) to ensure proper funding is accessed by all.
I aim to continue building upon recognition of the value of pharmacist in order to develop further roles and services. I aim to better engage all levels in our community from early years to foundation levels and beyond.
How will your particular skills and experience benefit the Board/Society?
I am a Public Health Moderator for the RPS network and I serve on the RPS Steering Group in Surrey. I believe that these roles would enable me to further benefit the RPS, its members and the profession as a whole. I work in both community pharmacy and GP practice pharmacist settings. I feel that every role has been different, but equally vital to my learning process and experience. I believe social media is a fantastic platform tool to reach more members with a few keystrokes and its further use will create more visibility of the profession and augment its contribution to patient’s care.
We are moving from a traditional supply-based model to one of service delivery and patient centred care. We need to be ready to embrace changes such as; patient access to information; educating patients on managing the health; and adapting service provision to patient needs.
In addition; preparing students for life as a pharmacist is a long process requiring many skills such as supporting them to be aware of best practice guidance and supporting them to transfer skills into patient facing roles. I believe that by supporting RPS members to be aware of guidance and best practice events, the RPS faculty could support this transition for newly qualified pharmacists.
I would also like to promote communication, networking, international engagement together with support for LPC and STPs.
Many members have become disillusioned with the RPS and feel that it no longer represents them. I want to promote the many ways in which members can be supported by the RPS, for example, through local & national representation on important issues, education on current legislation, or clinical updates relevant to CPD, to name just a few.
I am standing for the English Pharmacy Board and, with your vote, will work together towards developing a professional body that we all can value. We need to retain and grow the membership, and focus on the needs and wants of the members.
I’ll harness the powers of technology and social media and ENSURE the 5YFV (five year forward view ) becomes a reality to secure our future.
Hala Jawad is a pharmacist who works in England and is this year standing for election to the English pharmacy board.