NPA membership to be restricted to independent pharmacies

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has made a major change to the way it operates by limiting full membership to independent community pharmacies only.

Changes will be made to ensure the industry body offers a high-quality, high-value service to independent pharmacies – including independent multiples – as 90 percent of the businesses in this sector are currently NPA members.

As a result of this change, the organisation's relationship with national multiples will be simplified, with these companies still receiving a range of services, though they will no longer be represented by the NPA or influence its policies.

Coinciding with this announcement, the body revealed that a UK-wide member engagement programme will get underway in the second quarter of 2013.

Bharat Patel, chairman of the NPA, said: "We want to be explicit that they are the NPA's heart and soul, so we will do everything to ensure that the independent sector thrives.”

The NPA has been the trade association for community pharmacy since its establishment in 1921, representing the interests of its members in UK and European decision-making processes.