The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is examining its fellowship processes. They have stated that this is to ensure the process is ‘fair and equitable’. The move comes as part of their inclusion and diversity strategy.
In particular, RPS is reviewing their fellowship nomination and appointment process. RPS have said that this is to ensure that any barriers to eligibility are removed. To check there is consistency in assessing how members have made an exceptional contribution to pharmacy, RPS is taking the following action:
- Invited Fellows to submit their equality, diversity and inclusion data through an RPS survey and will review how they collect this in the future.
- Remove the naming of the nominee and those nominating them from each application at the next fellows panel meeting.
- Produce a more structured nomination form and consider its accessibility
- Provide all existing and new Fellow Panel members with unconscious bias training
- Develop a Fellows Panel which is increasingly representative of the diversity of its members
- Have clear guidance on what achievements should be considered.
RPS Chief Executive Paul Bennett said:
“We are fully committed to embedding inclusion and diversity across RPS and reviewing our processes is part of this. I know what an honour it is to receive this accolade and we want to ensure the exceptional talents of all pharmacists are recognised in a consistent way.”
Chair of the RPS Fellows Panel Dr Gill Hawksworth said:
“I welcome this review. We want to ensure fairness and equality are at the heart of our assessment process so that excellence can be celebrated regardless of individual backgrounds.”