Delivering the Prospectus

TransCom, the transitional committee formed by the Society to look into the formation of separate governing and professional bodies, collated its findings in a Prospectus that was made available at the end of November. Steve Churton, the RPSGB president, shares his thoughts on the findings, the future of the bodies and the need for members to get involved...

Who has the Prospectus been sent out to?
We sent a copy to all Society members – approximately 48,000 pharmacists, all our office staff, pharmacy schools and pre registration graduates. It has also gone out to various representative bodies so its gone out wider than our current membership since we are interested in views from the breadth of the profession and not just our own members. They have till January 9, 2009 to send in their feedback.

Do you fear lack of participation and involvement from the members?
I’m hopeful a substantial number of our members will respond. What we have stressed in the covering letter and the Prospectus is that this is the final opportunity for pharmacists to make their voices heard with regards to the new body. At this stage we want a mandate from the membership to say that this looks like the type of body we want so my plead right now to members if they haven’t been involved already is to get involved now. We also have a communications programme alongside the Prospectus and our email database in order to increase participation.

Were there any surprises in the feedback received?
There weren’t major surprises but there were issues around the level of support that members feel the Society provides. There were constructive indicators as to the type of support they would like and how it should be delivered to them as well as professional guidance in terms of professional development. And even though there weren’t any great revelations in terms of things we hadn’t thought of, it is nice to be re-affirmed by members what the core issues were when it comes to what they want.

Has this lack of support issue been addressed in the Prospectus?
Yes it has been. We suggested that the centre of gravity of the new organisation should be the national boards to represent the views of England, Scotland and Wales and not top-heavy organisations currently in London. The respective boards will be responsible for the delivery of supporting services in their respective countries and there will be local mechanisms to get people engaged locally. An increased use of technology is emphasised so virtual communities can be set up online allowing pharmacists with similar interests to create a virtual community and discuss advancements in that area.

Will there be a joining fee for the new organisation?
In order to practice pharmacy and call themselves pharmacists, they will have to join the regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council and there is a fee involved with that. If they want to be a member of the professional body and benefit from the services that will be provided then there will be a fee for that as well although that will be a voluntary membership. Hopefully the total of these two combined fees will be no more than the fee they currently pay plus inflation but it will provide better value for money by the support and services we deliver.

What will be the Society’s next step?
Even after 15 months of feedback, we are still interested to hear what our stakeholders have to say. Feedback can be sent via the tear-away form that comes with the Prospectus or via the TransCom website. This will be collected by TransCom and a detailed report presented with the Society deciding to either keep the Prospectus as it is or amending it according to the feedback received. There is a council meeting in February so hopefully we’ll be able to make a decision. There will be a transitional working group in place which will build the infrastructure and there’s a lot of work left in delivering what we promised in the Prospectus. I will chair the transitional working group that will include four council members and others to support that process.

With your aim of having the new organisation set up by 2010, does it not seem like a tight schedule?
It is a tight schedule. Our tentative launch date of January 1, 2010, seems unlikely so we’re looking at April. It gives us more time but considering that we are creating a new organisation – and not just an extension of the Society – it will still be tight. Some of the expertise we have here will clearly be in the new body and my background in business development also is crucial in this role and will hopefully aid our progress.

What is your message to the members out there?
Engage. We all need to be taking an interest in this and it is important for the professionals to come forward and contribute to a strong professional body. It will make a difference to you individually and your profession. It would be wrong to have a strong regulator and a weak professional body so the two need to work side-by-side. Don’t take this as something happening in London with no relevance to you. Make your views known.

© Faras Ghani 2008.
Published in Pharmacy Business Dec 2008.

UniChem Pharmacy Awards 2008

The annual UniChem Pharmacy Awards 2008 held last month in London were attended by over 450 guests. Hosted by David Gower, former England cricketer currently working as a cricket commentator, the award ceremony comprised a total of 14 awards being handed out.

Commenting on the Awards, Mike Smith, chairman UniChem, said: ‘Tonight is a celebration of all that is good about pharmacy and a clear demonstration of the commitment that all of us at UniChem have to excellence in community pharmacy. I said at the convention in Oman that we have tremendous opportunity in community pharmacy, but we need to get of our backsides to take this opportunity. Tonight you will see outstanding examples of pharmacists who have done just that.’

Jeremy Main, UniChem’s managing director, in his speech, emphasised the challenges faced by pharmacists and across the supply chain need to be tackled as a united force. ‘We have emphasised the importance of partnership at this year’s awards and I truly believe that if we are going to take the challenges presented to us head on, we need to really embrace this partnership approach across the industry.

‘It doesn’t matter whether you are an independent pharmacy with a single shop or global manufacturer, at the end of the day we all have a common goal and that is providing the best level of service and care to our patients.’

Prestwich Pharmacy, Prestwich, ran away as the big winners of the night as they scooped the Community Pharmacy of the Year and Pharmacy Retailer of the Year awards by ‘demonstrating
how an independent pharmacy can really raise the bar within its community’.

The Awards consisted of frequent breaks for food and drinks, allowing Gower to entertain the attendees with cricket-related anecdotes and with a live band and post-Awards entertainment, it was not just the winners that went home happy.

© Faras Ghani 2008.
Published in Pharmacy Business Dec 2008.

Indian Knights

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in Garavi Gujarat Nov 19, 2008

Indian Knights

India’s recent success against Australia has sparked a discussion about a new era in the world of cricket: have the Australians run out of steam? Is India poised to take the leader’s crown?

WHEN the Australians landed in India in September, cricket’s champions were without the services of Glen McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Stuart McGill and Brad Hogg as old age, injuries and lack of form took their toll on the team.

Skipper Ricky Ponting was doubly confident - that his side would improve their record on Indian soil and that Ponting himself would better his dismal performances in the cricket heartland.

A two-nil scoreline a few weeks later not only dented the visitors’ hopes of staying atop the cricketing world, but also sprung India onto the cricketing map as genuine contenders for the top slot. India’s comfortable win over England in the second one-day international on Monday (November 17) has done little to dampen high expectations in the subcontinent.

Certainly Team India has the ammunition and the firepower. However, they lack the consistency to hit centre. With these recent successes, is India worthy of being called the best yet?

Kris Srikkanth, former Indian batsman and the current chairman of selectors, refuses to back that claim just yet.

‘I wouldn’t like to jump to conclusions just yet. I would say we [the Indian team] are inching forward to that particular position. A few more consistent performances all round and we should be able to call ourselves the best team in the world in the near future,’ Srikkanth said.

Anil Kumble, who recently announced his retirement as Test captain, is confident that his successor Mahendra Singh Dhoni will try to finish the job he started.

‘I am confident that this young team, with a few of the senior players being part of the team, have a great opportunity to dominate world cricket and be number one in all forms of the game,’ Kumble said. ‘In one-day cricket, we are pretty close, in Twenty20 we are the No. 1 team in the world and I don't think we are that far behind in Test cricket as well. It would be great to see that happen and that is how I would like to be remembered, as someone who raised the bar for the team.’

Agreeing with the fact that the dual retirements of Sourav Ganguly and Kumble will have a significant impact on the team, Srikkanth has faith in the upcoming talent from the domestic pool to carry the flag for years to come.

‘You cannot immediately replace the calibre of Ganguly or Kumble. I think the transition is happening very smoothly. Captaincy was a smooth transition from Kumble to Dhoni and even in the leg-spin department, Amit Mishra came along nicely. There are a lot of talented batsmen waiting in the wings to get into Test cricket to replace Ganguly, so I think that transition will also take place smoothly. You have to give opportunity to youngsters. They all start young and go on to become great cricketers. If you give them an opportunity and the right time to perform, they will do so.’

Path to glory

Team India’s success graph has had its ups and down in a similar manner to the blood pressure of the average Indian following his, or her, nation’s progress throughout its entirety, especially through the 90s and much of the 21st century.

Much of the success has been attributed to the raw talent of Tendulkar along with the steadiness and firmness that is Rahul Dravid, The Wall.

India’s Fab Four - Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly and VVS Laxman - along with Anil Kumble, without doubt the team’s greatest spinner ever, have shouldered many wins over the past few years. However, the home side were rocked by dual retirements during the recent Australia series with Ganguly and Kumble parting ways.

The duo had contrasting Test debuts. While the Prince (Ganguly) thrashed England's bowlers around Lord’s for his 131, Jumbo (Kumble’s nickname, referring to his bowling style) had to be content with a return of 3 for 170 at Old Trafford six years earlier. Their respective finale turned out quite similar as far as individual performances were concerned; Kumble laboured around for almost 50 overs for only three wickets while Ganguly’s golden duck failed to set off any fireworks either.

However, Kumble - chosen to lead the Test side after Dravid’s resignation from the post - could only muster out a bore draw in Delhi whereas Ganguly - India’s most successful Test captain - sat on his colleagues’ shoulders as India thrashed the mighty Australia.

The 18 years that Kumble played top-class cricket for - 12 years in the case of Ganguly - India managed high-profile victories and also morale obliterating defeats. Ever since Kapil Dev led the World Cup success in 1983, India have been within touching distance of being not a good team, but a great one. With the likes of Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Kumble in the line-up, India certainly had the potential. On paper, at least.

There was the Laxman thaumaturgy in 2001 against Australia at home - complemented aptly by the Harbhajan Singh heroics. Then came victory in the Natwest Series in 2002, followed by the World Cup final in 2003 (a loss Tendulkar rues as his worst ever). There was also the away series win over Pakistan (2005), the Kumble ten-for at Feroz Shah Kotla (1999), a Sehwag masterblaster triple century in Multan (2004), the Yuvraj Singh annihilation of Stuart Broad in Durban (2007) and the veritable sorcery of Tendulkar, that constituted children’s dreams at nights.

Starting young has been the epitome of Indian success. Master batsman Tendulkar made his debut at the age of 16, while both Ganguly and Kumble made their debut at 19. This meant that the nucleus of the team remained stagnant throughout the wins and losses. Runs were scored aplenty as much as wickets were grabbed regularly.

With probably the most fervent of followers back home, and abroad, even the slightest of mistakes were being paid for dearly. Effigies were stomped and burnt, houses were pelted with stones, death threats were issued valiantly, and personal security employed as a result. Perhaps that is what made the Indian cricket team so successful. Weary of the consequences if they were to lose, the maestros planted their talent seeds wisely, reaping regularly, felling records en route success in all forms of the game.

Worthy Twenty20 World Champions, having the better of Australia in Test cricket and thrashing England in the first two One Day Internationals (ODIs) - with England having recently beaten South Africa 4-0 at home - things look ominously encouraging for India. As well as the usual hardened achievers, their unsung players hit the highest notes.

Opener Gautam Gambhir showed off his potential; leg-spinner Amit Mishra won a Test on his debut; Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma emerged as a lethal new-ball duo, displaying their mastery over Matthew Hayden and Ponting, Australia’s most experienced batsmen.

And with Yuvraj, Rohit Sharma and the Pathan duo flaunting their credentials openly, there remains hope for India in the post Fab Four era.

However, only to reiterate, cricket is a team game and apart from the necromancer – Tendulkar – that has seemed to make the cricketing throne his own ever since his teen debut, there remain other members of the team on the field. The likes of Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh, Javagal Srinath, Ventakesh Prasad, and Sadagoppan Ramesh to some extent all played their part of the final product that is a strong Indian team in the current day and age.

© Faras Ghani 2008
Published in Garavi Gujarat Nov 19, 2008

A tale of two cities

Although Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY) and Maheen Kardar Ali’s (of Karma) much-awaited return to London came a month after the London Fashion Week, it not only brought about a change in the local weather but also served as a healthy reminder of what the duo is capable of delivering. Fresh off soaking in the Dubai Fashion Week applause, HSY, together with Karma, became part of a London fundraising event held at the Royal Court of Justice.

The event was held by Developments in Literacy (DIL) Trust UK as a launching pad of their vocational training aspect, – having been incharge of a girls’ school in Karachi. It consisted of various auctions before the studded models paraded in the sparkle that was A Tale of Two Cities (Karma’s collection) followed by HSY’s.

“For the event to be a huge success and for us to put our organisation on the map, we had to ensure a well-recognised presence from Pakistan, hence the choice of HSY and Karma,” Rubina Riaz, vice-president DIL Trust UK, said. “Also, since our motives are to promote education in women and to feature how a woman can equally be successful in the world, we had no better choice than inviting Maheen Kardar to display her work.”

The old-fashioned, high ceiling interior that is the Court and the imaginative mix of colour and shine that was A Tale of Two Cities blended majestically as the models ‘mingled’ with the seated guests, thus making for a more interesting evening, with HSY not too far behind.

And after the attendees parted generously with cash while bidding on the auctioned paintings – majority were by female artists thus adding to DIL’s aims of promoting female contribution to the world – it was left to HSY and Karma to remind one and all of their presence, attained via the selected group of Pakistani models – including the duo of Tooba Siddiqui and Zainab Qayoom – complemented by a group of local models.

An auction on a donated pair by the designers rounded off a classy evening – attended by former prime ministers and media tycoons – with much applause for the showcasing group as well as DIL members for a well-organised and unique fundraiser.

© Faras Ghani 2008
Published in Daily Times Oct 26, 2008

HSY, Karma in London

Londonwallas caught a glimpse of what Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY) had on offer during the recently-concluded Dubai Fashion Week at a glittery fundraising event, with Karma presenting as well, inside the Royal Courts of Justice.

The event was held by Developments in Literacy (Dil) Trust, UK and consisted of various auctions before the models paraded in the sparkle that was titled A Tale of Two Cities. “For the event to be a success we had to ensure a well-recognised presence from Pakistan, hence the choice of HSY and Karma,” Rubina Riaz of the Trust said. “Since our motives are to promote education in women and to feature how a woman can equally be successful in the world, we had no better choice than inviting Maheen Kardar to display her work.”

The imaginative mix of old-fashioned grandeur and colourful art was aptly exposed in the courtyard where the old-age, high-ceiling interior complemented the duo’s collection while the models ‘mingled’ with the seated guests. After the attendees parted generously with cash while bidding on the auctioned paintings — a majority of which were by female artists — it was left to HSY and Karma to remind one and all of their presence. An auction on a donated pair by the designers rounded off the event.

© Faras Ghani 2008.
Published in Images (DAWN newspaper) Oct 19, 2008

Taking off the gloves

Rashid Latif chalks down the cricket team’s recent failures to inconsistency.

While most people remember the Pakistan versus Bangladesh Test match at Multan in 2003 by Inzamam’s dogged 138 that saved Pakistan from a humiliating defeat, the fixture also connoted a premature farewell to the Test career of Rashid Latif, one of the most efficient wicketkeeper-batsmen Pakistan ever produced.

Following a disastrous World Cup in 2003 the PCB had appointed Rashid captain of the national side. Banned for five ODIs after he claimed a dropped catch in the Multan Test, Rashid was subsequently replaced temporarily as captain — he went on to resign from the position — and finally dropped from the team altogether as the board opted for younger legs in the form of Kamran Akmal. While Akmal has failed to match the intensity his predecessors had behind the stumps, Rashid has continued to stay attached and make his mark on cricket instead of parting ways with the game.

He formed the Port Qasim cricket squad from scratch, was appointed the coach and led them to an unbeaten maiden Grade II season, including a victory in the final that saw his return to playing ways. He has also been involved in a successfully running cricket academy in Karachi that has witnessed the presence of Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Asim Kamal, Younis Khan and Shadab Kabir. Rashid acted as PCB’s wicketkeeping coach for talent-hunt schemes and short camps prior to tournaments and has been representing the Kent-based club Lashing’s XI annually.“It’s true that I have a lot on my plate but I’m enjoying it,” Rashid said after scoring a quick-fire 34 for Lashing’s XI in a Twenty20 match. “I miss playing cricket and it’s a hunger I will never be able to bury, but I’ve realised coaching youngsters and preparing them to represent their country bears more fruit.”

Grateful to his involvement with Lashing’s XI — in its fifth year — for precisely that reason, Rashid is involved at playing level while he learnt from the greats what he can pass on to others. “Playing alongside Richie Richardson, Sachin Tendulkar and Marvan Attapattu is not just good for my ego but also aids my coaching techniques as whatever I learn is then passed onto the juniors in the academy which will hopefully benefit Pakistan in the future.”

It wasn’t all an easy ride when the Allied Bank Limited cricket team was dismantled in 2003 due to management problems. “We had a decent squad that was suddenly told to find alternatives as they couldn’t play anymore. Although Port Qasim stood out among the offers I had, creating a new squad in a government organisation is not easy. I approached, and convinced, a few international players to join but upon hearing this their departments not only doubled their salaries in order to retain them, but also offered them extra incentives. With that, I decided to work with the players I had done in the past and hoped that they perform well.”

And even though Port Qasim isn’t guaranteed a promotion despite running away with the trophy, Rashid hopes it is the case, for the sake of young and talented players in his squad and because a return to first-class cricket may also see Rashid’s return to the middle with the bat after an absence of four years.

Never shying away from criticising board policies or selection mishaps, Rashid blamed Pakistan’s recent failures against better teams on inconsistency and the board’s failure to think of the future. “Perhaps the PCB was scared of losing or maybe it lacked confidence in youngsters, but we wasted a glorious opportunity against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh to test our bench-strength fully. The team now suffers when replacements fail to perform against quality opposition after being in the wilderness for months.

“Take the case of Akmal: he dropped catches consistently and instead of lining up a suitable replacement while giving Akmal a break, they opted to persist with him leaving Pakistan with either an under-performed Akmal or a relative newcomer (Sarfraz Ahmed) for the Champions Trophy.

“Asim (Kamal) performed exceptionally in domestic cricket and proved his worth in the international arena but is still being ignored and by that the selectors aren’t just letting him but the whole nation down.

“Danish Kaneria, too, deserves an extended run in ODI and Twenty20 squad and by opting to play part-time spinners and ignoring a quality spinner like him the selectors can never hope to build a consistent winning combination. Preferring Mansoor Amjad — a batsman who can bowl leg-spin — was a baffling one by the selectors.”

Before the phenomenal rise of Adam Gilchrist — who re-wrote the definition of wicketkeeper-batsman — it was more the act behind the stumps that the individual was judged upon, rather than in front. And Rashid shone brightly at that. Although clutching onto the unimaginable became his forte, it was his failure with the bat that sparked a healthy competition with Moin. And as fate would have it, his last Test match brought him only 10 runs but seven catches, and a victory.

But as he nears his 40th birthday — having spent years scouting for talent and nourishing it — Rashid is well aware of its abundance that lies in the domestic pool. “There is no dearth of talent in the country in any department of the game. We have the youth waiting to be molded into the world-class cricketers of tomorrow but it is our (his and the national selectors) duty to acknowledge their existence.”

© Faras Ghani 2008.
Published in DAWN Magazine Oct 12, 2008

Pakistan's sole entrance at LFW

Vivienne Westwood lived up to the hype as the most anticipated show of the week. Kate Moss made a successful return to the public eye by grabbing a front row seat (or a knee) — although that was laid to rest courtesy of a few tears down the cheek backstage. Sarah Brown, wife of British PM Gordon, eyed up topless male models while Pamela Anderson was spotted next to a mystery man as she sat busting at the seams.

While it was difficult to keep your eyes off the audience, the runways at London Fashion Week (LFW) reminded one and all why black is never deemed out of fashion, why being topless is considered fashion, hoodies are very much the ‘in thing’ and how the trend may very well be shifting from revealing to body conscious.

And while the mainstream designers clocked up millions of appreciation and glitter miles in the on-schedule shows, Pakistan’s sole entrée — albeit in an off-schedule show — Omar Mansoor was busy revving up a heavy load of acclaim for himself barely five miles away.

“It is a great honour just to be part of such a high profile event — unexpected even — but one that has taught me a lot and will hopefully act as a launching pad for greater ventures in the future,” Omar said of his inclusion in the list of designers for LFW.
Agreeing with the ‘black is back’ slogan, Omar’s glamorous blend of eastern upbringing and western influence once again proved a sensation.

Opting to lure a younger audience — read single and exuberant instead of mothers present at a Christmas Ball — Omar jumped in with knee-lengths while placing special emphasis on the black (five of the six outfits especially designed for of the line designed especially for LFW were black) as well as a selected few from his successful showing at Wimbledon Fashion Week in June.

“I’ve opted to go in with more of a ready-to-wear collection aimed at a younger generation, primarily in their 20s, trying to strike a balance between my knowledge of the East and the West,” he said.

Opting yet again to exhibit his work without availing services of any Asian models, it proved to be a case of seamless adoption of the East into the West, a trait he wishes to bring to Karachi in the near future.

“Even though I was nervous coming into LFW and felt under-prepared, I’ve been overwhelmed by the appreciation and well-wishes I received for my work. It wasn’t just the dresses being applauded but also how well, by looking at the outfits, one could see the Pakistani soul conflated into the knee-lengths.

“And I think I can very well take to Karachi and prove a big hit as the market over there will be very much open and welcoming to my designs and outfits.”

And as the fashion world moves to Milan — which in itself has a tough job keeping up with London after a howling performance — Omar plans to take his work outside the UK, ready to take on Pakistan in the near future.

© Faras Ghani 2008.
Published in Images (DAWN newspaper) Sep 28, 2008

London Fashion Week