The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has announced that its members have voted in favour of proposed changes to its Royal Charter and the transition to becoming the Royal College of Pharmacy.
A total of 6,144 members participated in the Special Resolution Vote (SRV), with 71.1% (4,369 votes) supporting the resolution and 28.9% (1,775 votes) opposing it.
The voter turnout represented 31.4% of the 19,594 eligible voters.
The proposed changes also include registering RPS as a charity and establishing a wholly owned subsidiary for publishing activities.
“This vote is a clear mandate in favour of the proposals we have put forward, and for the transformative change this will bring,” said RPS president Professor Claire Anderson.
“RPS can now move forward and build the collaborative professional leadership body that pharmacy deserves.”
Professor Anderson emphasised that theirambition is “to create greater recognition for pharmacy with the public, policy makers and other healthcare professionals and drive excellence in patient care.”
“We believe that becoming a royal college would help us achieve these ambitions and that as the Royal College of Pharmacy we would be able to take forward the Commitments we have set out,” she added.
RPS CEO Paul Bennett welcomed the vote’s outcome and expressed gratitude to members for their participation and support in this historic decision.
“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the debate and voted in the SRV whether for or against, your participation is valued.”
Bennett noted this process was only the start of the journey and that “work begins now.”
He reiterated their commitment to developing a new strategy for the new royal college, adding that it will be “a collaborative process in which our members will play a vital role.”
Bennett continued that the society will now focus on progressing the necessary steps with the Privy Council, Charity Commission, and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), to complete the transition to royal college status by Spring 2026.
