The Professional Standards Authority has published its annual performance review of the General Pharmaceutical Council. The GPhC’s register covers over 80,000 pharmacy professionals practising in Great Britain and over 14,000 pharmacy premises.
We have assessed the GPhC’s performance against our Standards of Good Regulation. For this review period, the GPhC has met 15 out of 18 of the Standards. The Standards that have not been met are all in respect of the GPhC’s fitness to practise function and relate to concerns we reported on last year about timeliness, customer service, reasoning in investigating committee decisions and the transparency and fairness of a number of fitness to practise processes. The GPhC has made progress with developing and implementing improvement measures and we have seen evidence of improvements in its investigating committee decisions. However, in the period under review, our other concerns remain outstanding because we have not yet seen the impact of the improvement measures put in place.
More information about how we reached our decision is set out in our Performance Review - GPhC 2019/20 or read a summary in our snapshot.
ENDS
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
Contact:
Email: media@professionalstandards.org.uk
Notes to the Editor
- The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care oversees 10 statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK.
- We assess their performance and report to Parliament. We also conduct audits and investigations and can appeal fitness to practise cases to the courts if we consider that sanctions are insufficient to protect the public and it is in the public interest.
- We also set standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations and accredit those that meet them.
- We share good practice and knowledge, conduct research and introduce new ideas to our sector. We monitor policy developments in the UK and internationally and provide advice on issues relating to professional standards in health and social care.
- We do this to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of users of health and social care services and the public. We are an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament.
- The General Pharmaceutical Council regulates the pharmacy professions and premises in Great Britain. As at 31 March 2020, it was responsible for a register of 57,651 pharmacists, 23,705 pharmacy technicians and 14,181 registered pharmacies. Its annual registration fees are: £257 for pharmacists; £121 for pharmacy technicians; and £262 for pharmacy premises. Its work includes: setting standards for the education and training of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and approving and accrediting their qualifications and training; maintaining a register of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies; setting the standards that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians (pharmacy professionals) must meet throughout their careers; investigating concerns that pharmacy professionals are not meeting its standards, and, taking action to remove or restrict their ability to practise when it is necessary to protect patients and the public; setting standards for registered pharmacies which require them to provide a safe and effective service to patients; and inspecting registered pharmacies to check they are meeting the standards required.
- Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.
- More information about our work and the approach we take is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk