The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has not reached a decision on whether to make two key senior executives redundant, it has claimed, following rumours surrounding the executives’ future in the body.

It comes in response to media speculation from the pharmacy press, which claimed that Robbie Turner, RPS’s director of pharmacy, and Gail Fleming, its director of education, were to be made redundant.  

In a statement, published on their website on Friday (4 March), the RPS denied that a decision had been made over the future of its team but said that any decision is ‘is an organisational decision’ and would be about ‘operational matters’.  

However, on Twitter, the body admitted that they are working on a proposal that could result in changes to the structure of the executive team. It highlighted that this was ‘very much at proposal stage’, and insisted it would conduct a ‘fair, reasonable and confidential consultation process’.  

The statement on Twitter said: ‘The RPS Strategy was launched last year which set out our ambition to further strengthen the viability and sustainability of the organisation, to move at pace and deliver on our ambitious objectives for the benefit of our members, our customers and the wider profession.  

‘To do that we are working on a proposal that could result in a change in the existing structure at the executive level within the organisation and two roles have been identified at potential risk of redundancy.  

‘This is very much at the proposal stage and no final decisions or outcomes have been reached,’ it said.  

RPS president Professor Claire Anderson said she ‘deeply regretted’ seeing ‘so much speculation in the public domain about a proposed change to the executive team when no decision has yet been made, and feel for those involved’.   

She added: ‘RPS finances are on a secure footing and this proposal is not about cost savings. We intend to continue our investment in education and professional leadership for the future of the pharmacy profession.

‘To be fair to the individuals involved, and to protect the confidentiality of the process, we will update again once decisions have been agreed. Therefore, we won't be commenting further on this issue.’ 

The body also confirmed that despite any changes within the body ‘there would still be a leader on the executive with responsibility for delivering on our education strategy’. 

Some within the pharmacy sector took to Twitter to express their views over the talks of redundancies within RPS.  

Doctor Raliat Onatade, the chief pharmacist for the North Thames GMSA, welcomed the possible restructure of RPS.  

Ms Ontade said it is ‘difficult’ to champion a professional body when ‘such serious missteps are made’.  

She cited a ‘lack of transparency’ and ‘insufficient governance’ from the body and said it was perhaps ‘time for some course correction’.