MERGER


The merger creates a new company - UCA-NI Ltd - that will proceed with UCA work and - let’s be clear - this was good work that independent contractors and many local multiples appreciated. UCA-NI Ltd will get the assets of UCA and it must be allowed to function and evolve to support both me and my colleagues in our businesses. We must therefore develop a means of properly funding it.


The CPNI board will expand to accommodate four former UCA Executive members. Those moving across are experienced pharmacists, who are not just there to ‘make up the numbers’. Rather, Jayne Laughlin, Turlough Hamill, Stephen Slaine and James McKay will each make a strong and constructive contribution to the work of the CPNI board.


The UCA-NI Ltd board will have two board members from each organisation. The limited company has been set up and currently has two board members: Peter Rice and David McCrea, who have been appointed by CPNI. They will meet and appoint two directors from UCA: myself and Jonathan Lloyd. There will be a three-year transition period, during which the legacy of UCA must be enshrined within a transformed CPNI.


The merger, assuming there is genuine and honest commitment from both sides, is a once-in-a- generation opportunity for better politics, leading to a sustainable future for the community pharmacy network in Northern Ireland.


The main benefit of a merger is that all contractor pharmacists are speaking with one voice. There has never been a time when this was more necessary. As with all parish politics, the politics of community pharmacy in Northern Ireland have been, to be kind, amateurish.


I would like to pay tribute to John Clark and Paul Cooper who had the vision and the patience to see the project through. I would also like to pay tribute Cliff McElhinney, who, since taking up post of UCA President - initially for two years - has remained at the helm to see the process through.


During the process, Cliff constantly demonstrated an intelligent tenacity that has steered this ship to its preferred destination. Other members of the merger committee - Edel McMahon and Stephen Slaine - did excellent work and my sincere and personal thanks to them.


Our excellent staff members Adrienne Clugston and Natalie Mulholland will transfer across to the new company and this will allow for continuity and a retention of vital expertise. I would like to add my thanks to Adrienne, who has been central to the success of UCA over recent years, and I know will be central to the success of UCA- NI Ltd in the future.


UCA-NI Ltd will, in the short term, do what UCA did. CPNI recognises the strength in the communications platform that UCA has created - particularly in its partnership with Profile Publishing - which gives us this excellent magazine and the Pharmacy in Focus Awards. We hope to build on this and, in particular, to move towards a digital communications platform.


In today’s society information is key and UCA-NI Ltd aims to improve our communications with each pharmacy and capitalise on available technology to add value to our offering.


Education and training are also a key area. The UCA’s Pre-registration Training Programme is setting a high standard, supporting our future pharmacists to ensure that they are ready to provide the high-quality service to the public we expect.


(L-R) John Clark, Dr Terry Maguire, Gerard Greene, Paul Cooper and Cliff McElhinney


UCA engaged the expertise of Mairead Conlon, an experienced pharmacist and former teacher- practitioner at Queens University belfast, who transformed the Pre- registration Programme for UCA. UCA-NI Ltd will be creative in how it develops new training and development programmes for the whole pharmacy team.


Mairead Conlon also has a key role supporting our work with PACT (Primarycare and Community Together). As Pharmacist Co-ordinator, Mairead is providing assistance and support to all pharmacies and pharmacists providing services to their local population through PACT projects.


Too few contractors, indeed too few pharmacists, actively engage in pharmacy politics. This is dangerous for any group. This merger will, I hope, make pharmacy politics more productive in looking after all of our interests.


UCA-NI Ltd will develop a strategy with your community pharmacy at the centre. We will engage with you in the months ahead to ensure that your needs are addressed.


Our aim is to represent your interests with ‘One Voice’, to help you to improve your business processes, to support you and your pharmacy team in delivering on the range of new services negotiated by CPNI to a high standard, to promote community pharmacy’s important role within the primary care team, and to assist you in moving forwards within an increasingly digital NHS.


Community pharmacy is facing many challenges, but it is our sincere hope that this merger and the synergies it will create between UCA and CPNI will bring significant benefit to all, and I hope that you will give us your full support.


UCA-NI Ltd is your organisation and we want you to shape it for your future.


Community Pharmacy NI welcomes pharmacy alliance


Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI) has announced its merger with Ulster Chemists’ Association (UCA). The coming together of the two pharmacy bodies followed a Special General Meeting (SGM) at which CPNI members voted in favour of the alliance, resulting in UCA-NI Limited, the new name for the Ulster Chemists Association, becoming a subsidiary of CPNI.


‘This is a positive and welcomed move for community pharmacy in Northern Ireland and I would like to thank the CPNI and UCA representatives involved in delivering on this union,’ commented John Clark, Chairman of Community Pharmacy NI. ‘Since 1901, the UIster Chemists’ Association has played a valued and much needed role in representing the needs of its members. Moving forward, we will see UCA-NI Limited continue in this remit, with the new organisation embodying all the main functions of UCA.


‘There is no question that in recent months community pharmacy has experienced particularly turbulent times and the challenges ahead are still very real. Working together, the two organisations can only strengthen the professional voice of community pharmacy ensuring that we are in a stronger position to lead and support contractors to tackle these challenges.’


PHARMACY IN FOCUS - 7


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