IJ:PASS
PHAAbtKisrs AOVICE S YJPPORT SEAWCE
Trustees, Annual Report and Statement of Accounts
Pharmacist5, Advice and Support Services
For period ended 31 May 2023
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IJ. PASS
PKlkblAC15fs'AD¥ICE 6 SUPPORT SERWCE
Governance Arrangements
Background
Governance Structures and Documents
Information and Administration
Trustees
Objectives and Activities
Financial Support
Counselling and Support Services
Development of Service Provision
Financial Position of PASS
PASS Risk Register
Summary of Financial Position
Trustee5 Signatures of Approval
Independent Examiner's Report
Fina ncial Statements
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11 PASS
PHARMACISTS'ADWCE & SUFPQRTSERYIEE
Governance Arrangements
Pharmacy Forum Nl (the Forum) is the professional leadership body for all pharmacists
registered to practice in Northern Ireland. The elected Board Members of the Forum are also
the Trustees of the Pharmacists, Advice and Support Services {PASS). The remit in which the
Forum and Trustee5 operate is set out in a legal scheme of delegation between the
Pharmaceutical Society Nl and the Forum.
Background
The Pharmaceutical Society Nl is legislated through the 1976 Pharmacy Order {Nl} and
subsequent amendments in 2012 to regulate and to provide leadership for the pharmacy
profession in Northern Ireland.
Pharmacy Forum Nl was set up in 2011 to provide the professional leadership function
enabling the Pharmaceutical Society to have a regulatory and leadership remit and yet achieve
the separation of function consequent to the Government's wish to decouple professional
leadership and regulation.
A legal Scheme of delegation exists between the Pharmaceutical Society Nl and the Pharmacy
Forum Nl. It outlines the remit, delegate powers and responsibilities of the Pharmacy Forum
Nl specifically in relation to PASS under section Delegated Functions to the Pharmacy Forum
Management Board, Item I, Delegated functions to the PFMB, I (c} To provide relief for
distressed persons as defined in the Pharmacy Order.
Please note PASS was historically known as the Chemist Benevolent Fund, however is now
known as the Pharmacists, Advice and Support Services (PASS).
Governance Structures and Documents
Organisational Chart
, PHARMACEUTICAL
PHARMACY FORUM NI BOARD
EDUCATION,
RESEARCH & TRAINING
COMMirrEE
PASS
. POLICY AND PRACTICE
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P￿RN￿lIsT5, ho￿(E &￿pPORT S£RWCE
O The governing document for PASS is the Declaration of Trust, Pharmacists, Advice and
Support Services Trust.
Information and Administration
Pharmaci5ts' Advice and Support Services (PASS}
Society House, 73 University Street,
Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT7 IHL
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PASS employs a Co-ordinator, who dedicates the equivalent of 2 full days over a working week
to the activities of PASS, The Co-ordinator, working to an agreed business plan, reports to the
PASS Committee and Trustees.
Trustees
All Trustees are elected members of the Pharmacy Forum Nl Board. Please see below the list
of members and their Board positions for the period ended May 312023:
O Sheelin McKeagneyi Chair of the Board
O Oisin Kavanagh, Vice Chair of the Board
O Philip Boyle, Elected Member
O Andrew Cheung, Elected Member
O Neill Elliott, Elected Member
O Anne McAlister, Elected Member
O Glynis Mcmurtry, Elected Member.
All Board Members are supported with general governance training provided by an
experienced external training partner. Trustees are also provided with in house Trustee
Training, at which they are provided the Trust Deeds for each of the charities for which they
are Trustees. This rolling programme of training is aligned with the Pharmacy Forum Nl Board
Election process and term of board membership. A skills audit is conducted in the year
following an election to enhancethetraining requirements of all Board Members and Trustees
alike.
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PHARhtAClST5' AOWICE6SUPPORTSEThce
Trustees have delegated certain responsibilities to the PASS committee, outlined in the Term5
of Reference for the PASS Committee. Regular updates on the activitie5 and recommendations
from the PASS Committee are provided to the Trustees.
Objective and Activities
The Pharmacists, Advice and Support Services {PASSI exists to provide support services to
pharmacists and pre-registration trainees of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland,
as well as former pharmacists, surviving spouses/ civil partners and their dependants in times
of need. PASS meets the public benefit requirement in two ways, as listed below:
O The prevention or relief of poverty,. and
O The relief of those in need (by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial
hardship or other di5advantage}.
PASS meets these purposes in a variety of ways, most commonly through the provision of
information and signposting, counselling and short to medium term fTnancial support in the
form of grants and interestfree loans. The direct benefitswhich flowfrom this purpose include
improved outcomes for those experiencing personal, professional or financial difficulty
through the alleviation of some of the financial difficulties that the benefi'ciary is facing and
also the ability to make better informed decisions after receiving counselling and advice. These
benefits are demonstrated through on-going feedback from beneficiaries and in the form of a
survey conducted with the membership and/ or service users. Trustees do not identify any
harm as a result of the Charity carrying out its purpose.
The 'poverty exception, applies in this case as the relief of poverty is regarded as being for the
public benefit even when there is a restricted group of beneficiaries. There is no private benefit
flowing from this purpose.
Achievements and Performance
Financial Support
During the reporting period PASS provided grants totalling £11,900 to applicants to alleviate
financial difficulties experienced due to ill health and disabilities.
Counselling and Support Services
PASS also re-entered into an annual contract with Inspire Wellbeing (previously known as
Carecall) to provide confidential telephone, online and face to face counselling services across
Northern Ireland. During the reporting period, Inspire scheduled 49 counselling sessions for
individuals. Eight new service users availed of the standard Inspire counselling, and the areas
being dealt with included coping with stress and anxiety and support through ongoing
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PHAfibLICISTS'ANCE &￿PPORr￿WcE
regulatory fitness to practice hearings. All eight pharmacists and trainees who received low
intensity coun5elling were able to remain in work. In addition, PASS proactively helped in the
relief of fi'nancial distress, with the provision of budgeting and debt advice in parallel and
signposted 11 other service users to other source5 of information and advice. All service users
this year were pharmacists and most of them were aged between 20 and 50.
The PASS Co-ordinator's role is to receive and process enquiries and signpost to sources of
support, information, guidance, and advice. During the reporting period, over and above
general enquiries, PASS actively signposted 58 calls from service users to the full range of
support available. Issues addressed included stress in the workplace, financial issues, issues
at home, and personal stress. This is consistent with the public benefit requirements of the
charity, as outlined above.
Development of service provision
Inspire Support Hub
April 2023 saw an update to the current provision with the new Hub widening the support
available to user5 as part of the employee assistance programme. It provide5 help right away,
giving the user instant access to a range of information, guidance, screening and intervention
tools tailored Specifically to help care for the individual's wellbeing. Two new service users
signed up across this period.
PASS continued its outreach activity in March 2023 through participating in the UCA-NI LTD
network for Foundation Year Trainee students. PASS also had a visible presence at the
calculations training workshops in May 2023 and at other events throughout the year.
During the period, PASS reviewed and updated its Reserves Policy and Risk Register,
continuously reviewing and monitoring all risks including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
and potential impacts for the charitable fund. Online basic safeguarding training was this year
organised for all trustees and designated Safeguarding Officer/Appointed Person Training was
completed by the Pharmacy Forum Manager and PASS Coordinator.
We would like to extend our thanks, on behalf of those who have benefitted from PASS services
to everyone who already donates. We thank our corporate donors who have provided useful
funding in the period. As a charity, it is vital that we can continue to offer a range of services
and the financial support received from pharmacists ensures that we can continue to do so.
Financial Position of PASS
A review of the charity's financial position at the end of the year was provided in the
Pharmaceutical Society Nl's Annual Report. The Annual Report was laid before the Northern
Ireland Assembly under Articles 4C and 4D of the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 by
the Department of Health on 5 October 2023 As of 31 May 2023, the PASS investment fund
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PWMACISTS'AOVICE 5 51JPPORTStsWCE
totalled £535,30212022". £523,523). For the same date, the bank account totalled £2,760
(2021.. £10,755).
To ensure a level of sustainability and longevity for the fund, the investment is managed on a
discretionary basis by Evelyn {previously Smith Williamson). During the period we are
reporting on, the Investment Manager from Evelyn engaged Trustees during Quarter l in
discussions regarding the investment strategy, the objective of the fund and risk reviews.
PASS Risk Register
During the period, PASS completed a full review of its standalone Risk Register to reviewing
and monitoring all risks and potential impacts forthe charitable fund.
Summary of Financial Position
Trustees of PASS are satisfied with the investment management of the funds. We are content
with the level of spend on charitable objectives, operational costs and development of services
and wish to further raise awarenes5 of PASS.
Trustees Signatures of Approval
Signed and approved on behalf of the Board of Trustees for the Pharmaci5ts' Advice and
Support Services on 25 January 2024.
Sheelin McKeagney
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Pharmacy Forum Nl
Date: 25 January 2024
Anne McAlister
Chair of the PASS Committee and Board Member, Pharmacy Forum Nl
Date: 25 January 2024
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73 Univcrsity Streei, Bclf&qi BT7 IHL