Key Summary
- The elections will be held for places on the three National Pharmacy Advisory Councils (currently called National Pharmacy Boards) in England, Scotland and Wales
- The three councils will play a pivotal role in the new governance structure and contribute to the development of the College’s strategy and aid its implementation
- The candidate must be a Member (MRPharmS) or Fellow (FRPharmS) of RPS and a current registrant of the General Pharmaceutical Council
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has announced that the nominations for the inaugural elections for the future Royal College of Pharmacy will open on 5 January and the elections will be held in early 2026.
The elections will be held for places on the three National Pharmacy Advisory Councils (currently called National Pharmacy Boards) in England, Scotland and Wales.
Interested candidates can submit their nominations between 5 January and 2 February.
The voting will open at 9 am on 23 February and close at 5 pm on 11 March. The results will be announced on 13 March.
The three National Pharmacy Advisory Councils will play a pivotal role in the new governance structure and contribute to the development of the College’s strategy and aid its implementation within each nation.
Each Council, and its elected members, will be responsible for: developing pharmacy policy and practice in their nation; supporting professional development activity; and engaging with members and representing the college.
The elected members of each National Pharmacy Advisory Council will be able to put themselves forward for additional roles in the Royal College governance structure by being elected to positions that sit on the Senate and the Board of Trustees.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to contest this election, the candidate must be a Member (MRPharmS) or Fellow (FRPharmS) of RPS and a current registrant of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
Candidates will only be eligible to stand for one National Pharmacy Advisory Council, which is determined by their place of work, and (in a change to past requirements) will need two nominators, a proposer and a seconder who must both be RPS members, to be put forward.
RPS welcomes applications from individuals of all protected characteristics and strongly encourages those from underrepresented groups, including members from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people of all abilities, and individuals from diverse communities to stand for election to the National Pharmacy Advisory Councils.
Anyone who wishes to contest, or wishes to vote must be a full member at 5 pm on Thursday 29 January 2026.
RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said, “These inaugural elections are a significant milestone on our journey to becoming the Royal College of Pharmacy.
"It’s an exciting and unique opportunity for members from across pharmacy to put themselves forward and play a key role in shaping the new organisation and particularly pharmacy policy and practice in each nation and across Great Britain."
RPS chief executive Paul Bennett said, “We’ve made the nomination criteria for these elections more accessible and inclusive and would particularly like to see nominations from under-represented groups, people of all abilities, and those from diverse communities.
"We want to ensure the future Royal College is led with a full understanding of the range of perspectives and experiences that reflect the diversity of our profession and the communities we serve.”
