National Boards in England, Scotland and Wales form the backbone of the Society. This reflects how devolution has changed healthcare in the three countries, meaning we are much better placed to influence national governments. We are also much closer to our members.

The boards lead the agenda at a national level, focusing on the issues that really matter to our members. They have responsibility for interpreting and developing policy as well as overseeing the delivery of member services locally.

You can find out more about the national boards by clicking on the links below.

• English Pharmacy Board
• Scottish Pharmacy Board
• Welsh Pharmacy Board

The overall strategic direction of the Society will be provided by an Assembly, comprising 11 members of the national pharmacy boards and three other members. The Assembly will meet much less frequently than the boards and will take a light-touch approach, leaving the boards with the bulk of the work and the responsibility to interpret policy and develop member services to suit their respective countries.

So election to the boards is the key democratic mechanism, and membership of the Assembly will be drawn predominantly from them.

The Assembly is composed of members of the English, Scottish and Welsh Boards (these are identified in each of the Board lists with an asterisk), a pharmaceutical scientist (Dr. Steve Wicks), an academic (Professor Anthony Smith) and a lay member (Professor Bob Michell). The President of the Assembly is Martin Astbury and the Treasurer is John Gentle.

Our Governance Handbook describes and explains the governance framework of the Society.

Regulations, Section 2, states:

“(1)  On the advice of the Chief Executive, the Assembly shall, in each year, fix a date on which Assembly members appointed in that year shall take office (“the effective date”).  In a given year, the effective date shall normally be no more than fifteen months from the effective date in the preceding year.

(2) The Chief Executive shall publish the effective date on the Society’s website as soon as practicable after it has been fixed by the Assembly.”

At the Assembly meeting held on 23 March 2011 it was agreed that the effective date for 2011 be one minute past midnight on July 8. All members of the Assembly are appointed annually, with the exception of the Chairs of the National Pharmacy Boards and the Vice Chair of the English Pharmacy Board who are elected by the Boards annually and serve on the Assembly by virtue of office under the provisions of the Charter.