National Pharmacy Council – Charter

Refer to: OCPS

1. PURPOSE.   The purpose of the National Pharmacy Council (NPC) is to provide advice and consultation to the Principal Pharmacist Consultant (PPC) of the Indian Health Service (IHS) on pharmacy services that will help meet the mission of the IHS. The NPC is a permanent Council of the IHS.
2. SCOPE.  The NPC functions under the guidance and authority of the IHS PPC or designee. The NPC is not subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
3. MEMBERSHIP.  
   1. The NPC may change in number and composition to meet the needs of the IHS pharmacy program and individual projects under consideration by the NPC. Membership is comprised of:
      1. PPC;
      2. Chair;
      3. Vice-Chair;
      4. Secretary;
      5. Deputy Secretary;
      6. Special Operations Workgroup;
      7. Standing Committee Chairs;
      8. Area Pharmacy Consultants (as determined by each IHS Area);
      9. Field Representative (one from each Area if available); and
      10. One Pharmacy Technician.
   2. Executive Leadership Committee of the NPC: The NPC Executive Leadership Committee (ELC) has final voting and decision-making privileges for establishing NPC priorities and procedures. The NPC ELC is comprised of the following: the PPC or designee, the Chair, the Vice-Chair, and the Secretary.
   3. Term length: Elected members will serve for 2 years and may be re-elected for a second term on an as-needed basis. New supervisory approval is needed if an elected member is seeking re-election.
   4. Succession: At the end of the Chair’s 2-year term, the Vice-Chair shall replace and assume the role of Chair for a 2-year term.
   5. Participation: Members must attend 50 percent of meetings either in person or virtually. Any member missing 50 percent of meetings will, at the discretion of the NPC ELC, be reviewed for replacement. The Chair may grant excused absences on an as-needed basis upon receiving such requests from the individual members, with a designated alternate to be in attendance.
4. MEMBERSHIP NOMINATION AND SELECTIONS.
   1. Nominees:  Nominees to the NPC must either be IHS Federal civil service employees or U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers who are practicing pharmacists or technicians. Nominees may be serving in a federally operated facility, or be assigned by the IHS to a tribally operated Indian health care facility. Nominees will represent a full and broad scope of pharmacy practice throughout the IHS Pharmacy Program. The need for ad hoc and special operations (non-voting) membership will be determined as needed by the NPC ELC.
   2. PPC:  Permanent IHS Headquarters position, non-elected NPC role.
   3. Chair:  After a 2-year term, the Vice-Chair shall assume the role of NPC Chair for a 2-year term upon supervisor and PPC approval. If the Chair is vacated prior to the end of the term, the Vice-Chair will immediately assume the role of NPC Chair completing the unexpired term and the remainder of the full 2-year term.
   4. Vice-Chair:  Prior to the end of the Vice-Chair’s term, or if the Vice-Chair position is vacated during the term, the NPC Secretary shall submit a call for nominations from current NPC members, if no nominations are received then the NPC Secretary shall submit a call via the IHS pharmacy listserv. Qualified applicants will submit all required nomination documents directly to the NPC Secretary, who will forward the documentation to the NPC ELC for review. The Vice-Chair will be elected by a simple majority of NPC members.
   5. Secretary:  Prior to the end of the Secretary’s term, or if the Secretary position is vacated during the term, the NPC Vice-Chair shall submit a call for nominations via the IHS pharmacy listserv. Qualified applicants will submit all required nomination documents directly to the NPC Vice-Chair, who will forward the documentation to the NPC ELC for review. The Secretary will be elected by a simple majority of NPC members.
   6. Deputy Secretary:  Prior to the end of the Deputy Secretary’s term, or if the position is vacated during the term, the NPC Secretary shall submit a call for nominations via the IHS pharmacy listserv. Qualified applicants will submit all required nomination documents directly to the NPC Secretary, who will forward the documentation to the NPC ELC for review and a vote. Should the vote end in a tie, the PPC will be the tiebreaker.
   7. Area Pharmacy Consultant (APC):  An APC will be determined by each Area. Each Area with federally operated pharmacies will be required to have one designated APC. Areas with only tribally operated pharmacies are recommended to designate a pharmacist if they have a qualified pharmacist who is an IHS Federal civil service employee or U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officer assigned to a tribally operated pharmacy or the Area Office. This is a non-elected NPC position.
   8. Ad Hoc and Special Operations Workgroups:  These workgroups will be developed based on specific needs of the NPC ELC. When a vacancy in workgroup members occurs, the NPC Secretary shall submit a call for nominations via the IHS pharmacy listserv. Qualified applicants will submit all required nomination documents directly to the NPC Secretary, who will forward the documentation to the NPC ELC for review and a vote. Should the vote end in a tie, the PPC will be the tiebreaker.
   9. Standing Committee Members:  When vacancies in individual committee membership occurs, or there is a need to add additional member or members, then the current chair of the individual committee shall request for the NPC Secretary to submit a national call for nominations via the IHS pharmacy listserv. Qualified applicants will submit all required nomination documents directly to the NPC Secretary, who will forward the documents to the individual committee chair for review and recommendations and to the NPC ELC for review and vote. Should the vote end in a tie, the PPC will be the tiebreaker.
   10. Field Pharmacist Representative Members:  Each Area with federally operated pharmacies shall have one designated field pharmacist representative. Areas with only tribally operated pharmacies may only designate a field pharmacy representative if they have a qualified pharmacist who is an IHS Federal civil service employee or U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officer assigned to the tribally operated pharmacy. When vacancies in the field pharmacist representative membership occurs, the Area Pharmacy Consultant (APC) in that Area or, if no APC exists, the NPC Secretary, shall submit an Area-wide call for nominations. Qualified applicants will submit all required nomination documents to the NPC Secretary, who will forward the documents to the APC for review and recommendation, and then to the NPC ELC for review and vote. Should the vote end in a tie, the PPC will be the tiebreaker.
   11. New Committees:  When there is a need to start a new committee, the request will be brought to NPC for discussion and vote. The NPC Secretary will submit a call for nominations via the IHS pharmacy listserv. Qualified applicants will submit all required nomination documents directly to the NPC Secretary, who will forward the documents to the NPC ELC for review and a vote. Should the vote end in a tie, the PPC will be the tiebreaker.
   12. Nomination Request:  If any requests require a member from each IHS Area, then the nomination requests will be dispersed through the respective APC or Field Representative, with nomination documents being submitted to the NPC Secretary.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES.
   1. National Pharmacy Council.  It is the responsibility of the National Pharmacy Council to:
      1. Provide a national forum to identify issues and develop initiatives that address pharmacy needs.
      2. Provide guidance for pharmacy practice in the IHS.
      3. Support and promote initiatives established by the President, the Department, and the IHS.
      4. Participate in setting the IHS’s strategic action pharmacy agenda.
      5. Improve the pharmacy program management through better communication.
      6. Advocate and act on specific concerns of its membership in a professional and appropriate manner.
      7. Promote performance improvement and organizational development through effective leadership and management support for pharmacy.
      8. Represent the pharmacy concerns and serve as a conduit to the IHS leadership:
         1. Initiate proposals for health care strategies and policies.
         2. Participate actively in policy development, review, and implementation.
         3. Share information among council members.
   2. Principal Pharmacy Consultant.   It is the responsibility of the PPC to:
      1. Provide administrative oversight for all matters involving IHS Pharmacy programs.
      2. The PPC is not eligible for elected NPC positions.
   3. Chair. It is the responsibility of the Chair to:
      1. Act as PPC during short-term absences of the PPC, if directed.
      2. Represent the position(s) of the NPC at IHS Leadership meetings or other meetings, as required.
      3. Guide and facilitate ELC actions with respect to organizational priorities and governance concerns.
      4. Responsible for assigning and coordinating reports and position statements, and posts documents to an approved IHS electronic platform.
      5. Serve in any capacity as requested by the PPC.
   4. Vice-Chair.   It is the responsibility of the Vice-Chair to:
      1. Assume the duties of the Chair in their absence.
      2. Serve in any capacity as requested by the ELC.
      3. Serve as Chair of the NPC Awards Committee.
   5. Secretary.   It is the responsibility of the Secretary to:
      1. Assume the duties of the Vice-Chair in their absence.
      2. Coordinate the preparation of monthly meeting agendas and communicate information to the NPC ELC.
      3. Record, maintain, and distribute meeting minutes.
      4. Submit calls for nominations for vacancies of the NPC and all committees, as requested by committee chairs and the NPC ELC.
      5. Coordinate ad hoc meetings between the NPC ELC, the NPC, and other national committees, committees, and/or representatives.
      6. In conjunction with Chair and Vice-Chair, coordinate assignments for the NPC Special Operations Workgroup.
      7. Monitor meeting attendance and submission of committee quarterly reports.
      8. Serve as requested by the NPC ELC.
   6. Deputy Secretary.   It is the responsibility of the Deputy Secretary to:
      1. Assist the Secretary with duties as assigned by the Secretary.
      2. Assume the duties of the Secretary in their absence.
      3. Serve as requested by the NPC ELC.
   7. Special Operations Workgroup.  It is the responsibility of the Special Operation Workgroup members to:
      1. Attend and participate in monthly NPC meetings, and other meetings as assigned by the NPC ELC.
      2. Serve in any capacity and complete any projects as requested by the NPC ELC.
   8. Area Pharmacy Consultants.   It is the responsibility of the Area Pharmacy Consultant to:
      1. Attend and participate in monthly NPC meetings, national, and combined Council meetings.
         1. Promote common understanding and implementation of current Agency priorities, initiatives, and direction at the IHS Area and local level.
         2. Contribute to the development of agendas for general, annual, and special meetings of the NPC.
         3. Maintain an up-to-date list of all IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian (I/T/U) pharmacy programs in their respective IHS Area.
   9. Field Pharmacist Representatives.  It is the responsibility of the Field Pharmacist Representative to:
      1. Attend and participate in monthly NPC meetings and the National Combined Council meetings.
      2. In conjunction with their APC, promote common understanding and implementation of current agency priorities, initiatives, and direction at each IHS Area and at the local level.
      3. Contribute to the development of agendas for general, annual, and special meetings of the NPC.
      4. Participate on the NPC Awards Committee, under the direction of the NPC Vice-Chair and other NPC committees as requested by the Chair.
   10. Members.  It is the responsibility of each member to:
       1. Attend and participate in monthly NPC meetings.
       2. Promote common understanding and implementation of current Agency priorities, initiatives, and direction at the IHS Area and local level.
       3. Contribute to the development of agendas for general, annual, and special meetings of the NPC.
6. VOTES. 
   1. Quorum.  A quorum of 50 percent of voting membership will be required to conduct NPC business. A teleconference may be utilized, as necessary, to meet quorum.
   2. Voting membership is comprised of the following members.  The Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, APCs, Field Pharmacist Representatives, Technician Representative, and the Chair of any Standing Committee or their designee.
   3. Vote on Motions.  When an action requires a vote by the NPC membership, a motion will be made and seconded by two separate voting members, and then the Chair shall call for a vote and determine the method for tallying the votes of all other members, and if needed, from absentee members.
      1. A simple majority of votes will determine the acceptance or rejection of a given motion. Should there be a tie vote, the Chair will determine whether the motion will proceed.
7. MEETINGS. 
   1. Scheduled Meetings.   The NPC as a whole will meet monthly. The NPC ELC and the APCs will meet monthly. Depending on the availability of funds, it is anticipated that the NPC will convene at least one face-to-face meeting each year. Other meetings will be convened as needed, by teleconference.
   2. Ad hoc Meetings.  Other ad hoc meetings may be held for specific purposes as needed and resources allow.
   3. Agenda.  Any IHS pharmacist may submit relevant agenda items for discussion during NPC meetings. Requests for additions to an agenda must be submitted to the NPC Secretary at least 2 weeks in advance of scheduled meetings for review and approval by the NPC ELC.
   4. Minutes.   The meeting minutes will be developed and distributed within 30 days of the meeting, or prior to next scheduled meeting, whichever is earliest. The first item of business for all meetings will be to review and approve the previous meeting minutes. Once approved, the minutes will be available in electronic format, via upload to an approved IHS electronic platform.
8. DELIVERABLES. 
   1. All deliverables developed by the Council will be elevated to the NPC ELC prior to release outside of the Council. Such products include, but are not limited to, best practices, guidelines, data calls, newsletters, etc.
   2. The NPC ELC may review for approval, or may determine that the product needs review and approval by the full NPC membership. Once approved, the products may be released to appropriate entities outside of the Council.
9. COMMITTEES AND AD HOC WORKGROUPS.  The NPC may establish either a standing or ad hoc committee, which will perform specific projects or tasks to achieve the goals of the NPC or the PPC.
10. REPORTING.   The NPC Chair is responsible for assigning and coordinating the draft of reports and position statements, posting to an approved IHS electronic platform, and representing the NPC as requested by the PPC, or others as assigned.
11. CHARTER REVIEW.  Review of this Charter will take place after succession of each new Chair, or as requested by the PPC, or NPC ELC and successful motion from the NPC. Revisions will be forwarded to the NPC for review and approval.
12. SUPERSESSION.   This circular supersedes Circular No. 17-01, “National Pharmacy Council - Charter,” dated September 29, 2017.
13. EFFECTIVE DATE.  This circular becomes effective on the date of signature.