The PSA publishes its review of the General Pharmaceutical Council’s performance for 2023/24

We have published our annual performance review of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). During 2023/24, we monitored the GPhC’s performance against the Standards of Good Regulation (the Standards).

For this period, covering 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, the GPhC has met 17 out of 18 Standards. Our report explains how we made our decision.

The performance review is our check on how well the regulators have been protecting the public and promoting confidence in the health and care professions. This year, we have used a new approach to assessing regulators against our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Standard (Standard 3). In order to meet Standard 3, regulators must assure us they are delivering the four high-level outcomes supported by our new evidence framework. We have seen clear evidence that the GPhC is undertaking a wide range of activity designed to embed EDI in its work and to improve processes across different areas of its work, including registration and fitness to practise (FTP). For example, we noted the GPhC’s analysis of EDI data of registrants involved in the FTP process, and its wider work around this, as an example of good practice. We are therefore pleased to report that the GPhC has met Standard 3 again this year.

The GPhC has continued to work to reduce the time it takes to progress cases through its FTP process and we are aware of the pressure caused by another significant increase in the number of FTP referrals. However, because timeliness has deteriorated this year, we have concluded that Standard 15 is once again not met. We have written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee to provide an update on the GPhC’s performance, and we will continue to closely monitor the GPhC’s performance in this area.

The judgements we make against each Standard incorporate a range of evidence to form an overall picture of performance. Meeting a Standard means that we are satisfied that a regulator is performing well in that area. It does not mean there is no room for improvement. Similarly, finding that a regulator has met all of the Standards does not mean perfection. Rather, it signifies good performance in the 18 areas we assess.

Our oversight does not stop when we publish our report. It is an ongoing, continuous process and, where we’ve identified areas for improvement, we pay particular attention to these as we continue to monitor the GPhC’s performance.

You can find out more about the GPhC’s review in the in our Monitoring Report.You can find out more about how we review the regulators here.

ENDS

Contact: media@professionalstandards.org.uk

Notes to the Editor

1. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care oversees 10 statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK.
2. 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.
3. We also set standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations and accredit those that meet them.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.
7. More information about our work and the approach we take is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk