The Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPHarm) will hold a vote on whether to extend membership to pharmacy technicians before 2028, it was announced today.
A 2026-28 strategy briefing published today (November 6) states that the recently established Royal College will “launch a proposal for pharmacy technician membership” and hold a special resolution vote on the matter.
By 2028, the RCPharm “will know the future of pharmacy technician membership, which will define the type of professional home the College will be,” it said.
The briefing also says the RCPharm will work to define pharmacists’ scope of practice and work with pharmacy technicians “to align their professional ambitions in this area”.
Addressing the RCPharm’s annual conference in London today, chief executive Karen Baxter said working towards “becoming the home of pharmacy” is “probably one of the most important conversations we need to have together”.
Ms Baxter said: “We want to create an inclusive professional home that reflects the needs of members, specialist pharmacy groups, sector leaders, and partners.
“This means engaging openly on the future of pharmacy technician membership of the college and reflecting our commitment to partnership, we will do this hand in hand with [the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK].
“We recognise that there are differing views on this matter and strong views in both professions.
“Our commitment is therefore that this conversation will be thoughtful and transparent.
“We will create opportunities for discussion on this issue and ultimately, speaking on behalf of the college, we will reach a decision through a vote of our members.”
She added: “We also look forward to continuing work with colleagues in Northern Ireland to explore expanding the college scope to become UK-wide.”
Ms Baxter also said claims from some quarters that the transition from professional body to charity “means that members are no longer important to us… couldn’t be further from the truth”.
She commented: “Our members are the lifeblood of the organisation. We want our members to see and feel the difference of this transition, not just in what we do, but in how easy it is to engage with us and access the support.”
The RCPHarm will create tailored member experiences and avenues to “allow you to share your perspectives with us to create a relevant and impactful college,” she told members.
