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Governance

The establishment of the GPhC provides an opportunity to create a coherent, efficient governance framework for the new organisation. The Pharmacy Regulation and Leadership Oversight Group (PRLOG) commissioned an expert working group, chaired by Rosie Varley OBE, to produce proposals for the GPhC's governance framework.

Most of the Group's recommendations were presented to PRLOG in an interim report in December 2008. Some elements of the governance framework have already been decided by the UK and Scottish Governments, because they were necessary to progress the establishment of the GPhC. These include decisions on the composition of the Council to enable recruitment of the Chair and Council members, and to inform the development of the Constitution Order legislation.

The Group's final report was considered by PRLOG in March 2009. The report, including the recommendations agreed by PRLOG, can be downloaded here.

GGWG final report.pdf  [PDF opens new window, 133KB]

The report will be considered by the GPhC Council designate once its members are appointed. 

Key governance features

Crucial to the GPhC's governance is its independence from government, professionals and all other interest groups, as the Government has decided that independence is vital to improving public confidence in regulation in general.

To reinforce that independence and to ensure transparency in decision-making, there is an appointed, rather than elected, Council, and it must have at least equal numbers of lay and professional members. It is smaller and more board-like, with just 14 members and with a clear separation of functions from the executive.

Lay people will bring knowledge from outside the profession and help to ensure public focus, openness and transparency.

There are no places reserved specifically for each of the professions regulated by the GPhC, nor for specific sectors of practice. There are, however, reserved places for at least one member who lives or works mainly or wholly in each participating country.

Members have been appointed by the Appointments Commission to ensure a balance of qualities, skills and experience, and to reflect the diversity of the public and of the pharmacy profession. 

A structure of remuneration and expenses for members of the GPhC has been drawn up under the principle that these should reflect the Nolan principles of public life and avoid disincentives to good governance.

The draft Pharmacy Order 2010 makes provision for three statutory committees: investigating, fitness to practise and appeals. The draft governance framework contains the advice that additional non-statutory committees should be kept to a minimum in order to help minimise bureaucracy, focus resources on outcomes and make sure that responsibilities are clear.

There is more information on other pages on the key provisions concerning the Chair and Council and the committees.