By Nicholas L. Wood. BPharm, FRPharmS, MIPharmM, Former General Secretary, The Institute of Pharmacy Management International Ltd
SubscribeThe Institute of Pharmacy Management was created in 1964 by a group of enthusiastic pharmacists gathered round the late Werner Tomski, whose vision and drive brought the Institute into being. The purpose of the Institute was and still is, to initiate and promote fundamental and practical research programmes and to provide up to date teaching of management in pharmacy.
Members are concerned with the practice and use of management principles in the development of an efficient pharmaceutical service and good business administration. The Institute is incorporated under the Companies Act as a Limited Company (By Guarantee). As an essentially educational body it is non-profit making and issues no shares.
It is international with around 10% of its members living in some 25 countries outside the United Kingdom. A Council and Chairman govern the Institute while the offices of President and Vice-President are honorary and are held by persons of eminence in pharmacy. The current President is Professor Ian Jones of Portsmouth University.
The Institute is open to all branches of pharmacy: community, hospital, academia, the pharmaceutical industry and wholesale distribution. Nowadays it plays an active role in pharmacy by holding at least two Conferences a year, often arranged at relatively short notice so that topics of immediate importance can be discussed..
The Institute also produces a quarterly Journal "Institute News”, reporting papers presented at recent Conferences, topics of management interest, news of forthcoming events and official Institute notices. "Institute News”, encourages debate on controversial issues in pharmacy and publishes papers and ideas for discussion from individual members.
Additionally and in collaboration with the NPA, the Institute endorses a correspondence course in Pharmacy Management in association with Pharmacy Products Review. A number of modules are available as pdf files from the Institute.
Also produced is an annual Directory of Consultant Pharmacists working in such advisory capacities as NHS administration, contract applications, the pharmaceutical industry and international pharmacy. Entry onto the Directory as a Consultant Pharmacist is free to members, while the Institute makes the Directory itself available to the profession as a service. Copies may be obtained by application to the Secretary General.
Membership
There are five classes of membership:
- Student membership is available to students studying for a degree in pharmacy at a recognised School of Pharmacy.
- Corporate Membership exists for companies. Up to five executives can be nominated as Members or Associates. Corporate membership costs £400 per year. Nominees of a Corporate Membership scheme receive the "IPMI Institute News" and all communications sent routinely to individual members.
- Associate Membership is available to persons engaged in some pharmaceutically related occupation, including post-graduate pre-registration pharmacy students.
- Full Membership is available to persons registered as pharmacists in the United Kingdom, in member countries of the Commonwealth, the European Union, and in the United States of America or, who are English speaking and who are registered as a pharmacist with the appropriate authorities in their country of practice.
- Fellowship is available by completion and presentation of the Institute’s Fellowship portfolio the award of which is quality assured by Portsmouth University and represents a higher qualification in pharmacy management. Exceptionally Fellows may also be elected by virtue of their contribution to the advancement of pharmaceutical business administration and/or by a distinguished record of achievement in the pursuit of the Institute's objectives.
For the three individual classes of members, Associates, Members and Fellows, a subscription, currently £50, is payable annually. For a new applicant there is an additional £10 registration fee which includes initial registration and the production of an elegant membership certificate. However there is a concession for Members who agree to pay by Direct Debit whereby there is a £10 reduction in fee. Additionally, students may join the Institute at a concessionary discounted rate of 40% off the normal subscription, making a student fee of £30.
The subscription for new members joining in the latter half of the year covers the annual subscription for the following year and is currently tax deductible. Associates, Members and Fellows are entitled to use the letters A.I.Pharm.M., M.I.Pharm.M. and F.I.Pharm.M. respectively and the Council of the Institute encourages its members to use these letters.
Further details and applications for membership can be made to the General Secretary at the Institute's Registered Office, C/o The Seasons, Park Wood, Doddinghurst, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0SN, Telephone +44 1277 823889 E-mail: howard.mcnulty@ntlworld.com while further details may be found at the Institute’s web site at www.pharmweb.net/ipmi.html