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Pharmacy Regulation and Leadership Oversight Group

The Pharmacy Regulation and Leadership Oversight Group (PRLOG) was established by Ministers after they accepted the recommendations of the Working Party on Professional Regulation and Leadership in Pharmacy, which was led by Lord Carter of Coles. PRLOG is chaired by Ken Jarrold CBE.

PRLOG is a group of 21 key pharmacy stakeholders, and its main purpose is to oversee and advise on the establishment of the new regulator for pharmacy in England, Scotland and Wales — the GPhC — and to brief Ministers on progress.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 gives Northern Ireland Ministers the power to separate regulation and leadership in order to make the GPhC a UK-wide regulator for pharmacy. The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland has indicated that he will not make a decision until the GPhC is established in Great Britain.

What does PRLOG do?

PRLOG works with stakeholders to make sure that the GPhC comes into being efficiently, safely and effectively by 2010, parliamentary timetable permitting. It also aims to make the most of the opportunities that establishment of a new regulator can bring to the pharmacy profession.

PRLOG is an oversight group, not an executive group, so its role should be considered that of a 'guardian' of professional regulation in pharmacy during the transition period before launch of the GPhC.

It has two main work streams: the establishment of the GPhC and regulatory support and development.

The future leadership of pharmacy, including changes to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), is a matter for the pharmacy profession, although PRLOG receives regular updates from the RPSGB. As a result, members of PRLOG can make suggestions to the pharmacy profession on this matter.

Who's involved?

Members of PRLOG include the Chief Pharmaceutical Officers of England, Scotland and Wales (Dr Keith Ridge, Professor Bill Scott and Carwen Wynne Howells respectively), the Acting Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Wales Jeremy Savage and the president of the RPSGB, Steve Churton.

The president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Raymond Anderson, and the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of Northern Ireland, Dr Norman Morrow, are also members.

Ministers appointed Ken Jarrold, previously a Strategic Health Authority Chief Executive and Director of Workforce at the Department of Health, as Chair of PRLOG, and Professor Peter Noyce, Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Manchester, as professional adviser.

PRLOG's terms of reference and a list of members are available on the Department of Health website, as well as the following PRLOG stakeholder briefing documents:

• December 2007
• March 2008
• June 2008
• October 2008
• January 2009
• April 2009
• August 2009.

Future role

PRLOG continued to act as advisers until the appointment of the Chief Executive/Registrar and the Council members designate in October 2009, they will continue as a reference group.