The Health and Social Care Bill currently making its way through parliament is a subject of interest and uncertainty within the NHS.

According to Lindsey Gilpin, chair of the English Pharmacy Board, the approaching meeting of the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges could generate more attention for the bill.

It has already been a topic of discussion for the Health Select Committee, which looked at the ability of the NHS to cut costs.

Ms Gilpin claims that throughout the policy-making stage, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has sought the opinions of its members on the proposed bill.

"Our members' views at the time suggested that we engage on the issues in the bill rather than reject the bill outright. These views have been presented to the pharmacy minister, other members of the government and members of both Houses of Parliament," she explains.

Important issues that may be progressed by the bill include the decriminalisation of single dispensing errors, which Ms Gilpin says is an area the RPS is working with other pharmaceutical bodies to address.

The Health and Social Care Bill was introduced into parliament in January 2011 and is seen as a crucial factor in the government's aims to modernise the NHS.

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