Medicine shortages
Our work to highlight how medicine shortages affect patient care, the pressures on pharmacy teams, and recommendations to inform action.
From our President Tase Oputu
On 15 April 1841, a dedicated group of London chemists and druggists came together to form a professional body. Today, 185 years later, I am immensely proud to welcome you…
What’s next for a community pharmacist prescribing service in England?
This episode of The PJ Pod reflects on the ‘Community pharmacy independent prescribing pathfinder programme’…
Credentialing
We provide a standardised credentialing framework for pharmacists’ post-registration education and training, enabling them to be recognised for their advancing professional capabilities.
News
The latest news and updates from Royal College of Pharmacy
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RPS launches new prescribing support service
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new Prescribing Support Service, an extension of our Professional Support Service tailored to queries about prescribing.
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Professor Ryan Donnelly awarded 2024 RPS Harrison Medal
This news story was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. We’re pleased to announce that Professor Ryan Donnelly has been awarded the RPS Harrison Memorial Medal for 2024 for his outstanding contribution to advancing pharmaceutical science. The medal is awarded every two years, in memory of the distinguished pharmaceutical chemist Col EF Harrison. Professor Ryan Donnelly is Chair in Pharmaceutical Technology at Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Pharmacy and Director of Research. A registered pharmacist, his expertise lies in developing advanced polymeric drug delivery systems for transdermal and intradermal drug delivery, aimed at improving patient outcomes. Collaborating with major pharmaceutical companies, he is developing a range of novel microneedle technologies. His work has attracted over £30m in funding and he has authored more than 1,000 peer-reviewed publications, including patent applications, textbooks, book chapters and full papers. He also leads a diverse research team of 50 individuals from 15 different countries and has been an invited speaker at numerous national and international conferences. His contributions have earned him prestigious awards, including the International Association for Pharmaceutical Technology Research Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (2024) and the Kydonieus Foundation Transdermal Delivery Award (2024). Professor Donnelly also won the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics Most Cited Paper Award in 2023, Visit Belfast’s Ambassador Award for Life and Health Sciences in 2022, and many more throughout his career. As Europe/Africa Editor of Drug Delivery and Translational Research, Professor Donnelly continues to shape the field with his groundbreaking research and commitment to pharmaceutical science. Professor Donnelly said: “I am delighted to receive this great honour from RPS. As a pharmacist, my work has always focused on harnessing the pharmaceutical sciences to develop drug and vaccine delivery systems that can enhance therapeutic outcomes for patients. That these efforts have been recognised by such a prestigious award emphasises the importance of the application of scientific knowledge by the pharmacy profession.” Professor Parastou Donyai, RPS Chief Scientist said: “It is a real pleasure to announce Professor Ryan Donnelly as the 2024 RPS Harrison Medal winner. Professor Donnelly is a world leader in the field of drug delivery. His novel inventions have the potential for genuine impact, and his publication record, substantial research funding, and investment in developing others attest to his authority and distinction. Professor Donnelly is a credit to pharmaceutical science and the whole of the profession of pharmacy.” More on the Harrison Memorial Medal. Read more RCPharm news stories
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His Majesty The King becomes new Patron of RPS
This news story was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. We are proud to announce His Majesty The King has agreed to become the new Patron of Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). Buckingham Palace confirmed the news to mark the first anniversary of the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen. It follows a thorough analysis of over 1,000 Patronages of The late Queen, The former Prince of Wales and The former Duchess of Cornwall. We have a long association with the Royal Family through The late Queen, who was Patron of RPS from 1953 until her death in 2022. Her father, George VI, was Patron of RPS from 1937-1952. Claire Anderson, president of RPS, said: “We are hugely proud that His Majesty The King has chosen to be our patron, following in the footsteps of The late Queen and her father, George VI. We are grateful to the Royal Family for their ongoing support.” Paul Bennett, chief executive of the RPS, said: “It is an honour to have His Majesty The King as our new Royal Patron. We look forward to continuing our work to highlight the vital contribution pharmacy teams make to patient care across Great Britain with the patronage of His Majesty.” Find out more about the history of RPS. Read more RCPharm news stories.
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We are the Royal College of Pharmacy, the professional leadership body for pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. We exist to advance the safe and effective use of medicines, drive excellence in patient care and support pharmacists to deliver the highest standards of practice.
As the third largest workforce in healthcare, pharmacy plays a vital role in the health system, and as experts in medicines, pharmacists and their teams are central to patient care and public health. Our mission is to put pharmacy at the forefront of patient care, advancing the safe and effective use of medicines to the benefit of patients and the public.