NAWP partners with PDA to secure survival

The National Association of Women in Pharmacy (NAWP) has partnered with the Pharmacist Defence Association (PDA) to create a ‘semi-autonomous network’.

The NAWP will become a semi-autonomous network open to PDA members and non-PDA members alike. The 114-year-old organisation had previously announced that the organisation was closed to new members and would dissolve as an independent body at the end of the year. The arrangement made public today means NAWP will now continue its work in a new format.

NAWP works to enable women pharmacists to realise their full potential and raise their profile by being educationally, socially and politically active. The PDA was already developing plans to launch diversity networks when NAWP announced their intention to cease to operate and both parties see this evolution of NAWP as a positive step that will enhance the voice of pharmacists.

Membership of the new network will be available from 1 January 2020 via the PDA website after the name and affairs of NAWP formally transfer to become part of the PDA on 31 December 2019.

NAWP President Anita White said:

“The PDA has over 28,000 members and like NAWP is a UK wide organisation with international links.  We have worked together in the past and I am delighted that we have agreed a future for NAWP to continue our work as part of the PDA.  The next chapter in NAWP’s history looks bright and should bring new opportunities to women pharmacists.”

Paul Day, Director of the PDA said:

“We are delighted that we can provide the structure for NAWP to not only continue but to grow and do even more for women pharmacists.  Pharmacy is a mainly female profession and we have over 17,000 women pharmacists within our membership, we hope that many of them will choose to join NAWP network and enhance that influence.”

Commenting on the news that the National Association of Women Pharmacists (NAWP) has secured its future, President of the RPS Sandra Gidley said:

“I’m really pleased to see that NAWP has been able to find a way to continue it’s important work. Women make up around 60% of the pharmacy profession but we still face many inequalities in our professional lives. We look forward to working closely with NAWP in the future.”

Click here to find out more about the NAWP.