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General Pharmaceutical Council Rules Consultation

16 February 2010

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) designate – which is preparing to be the new, independent regulator for pharmacy – is seeking views on its draft legislative rules to ensure they are clear, comprehensive and fair.

Five sets of rules – which set out the detail of key processes – have been made available for consultation from 16 February to 4 May 2010.

The GPhC has been given the responsibility, in the Pharmacy Order 2010, to make rules in a number of areas and the five included in this consultation are:

• Fees
• Registration
• Appeals
• Statutory Committees and their Advisers
• Fitness to Practise.

The legislative rules set out clearly how GPhC regulation will operate and are designed to work alongside the GPhC's regulatory standards. These first five sets are those which need to be in place to enable the GPhC to open.

The draft rules build on those of the current regulator, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB). Where necessary, changes have been made in order to ensure that the rules are in line with the new statutory framework in the Pharmacy Order 2010.

GPhC Chair designate Bob Nicholls said: “I am delighted to publish our consultation on the first five sets of draft legislative rules which will enable the effective working of the GPhC as a statutory regulator.

“While most pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy owners are not likely to refer to the legislative rules on a day-to-day basis, there are important elements which we wish to highlight.

“We encourage people to take the time to understand the key changes, and what they mean for the public and professionals, and to respond to this consultation.”

The draft rules contain some important changes to key areas, which the GPhC designate wishes to highlight. For example:

• The process for renewal of entries in the register for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and owners of pharmacy premises
• The structure of fees for new registrants and the cessation of fees for non-practising and overseas pharmacists. Those who wish to join the GPhC register will need to do so as practising registrants and pay the appropriate fees
• The structures for the three statutory committees – Appeals, Investigating and Fitness to Practise
• The criteria that the Fitness to Practise Committee must consider when deciding whether an individual is fit to practise and changes to disclosure requirements
• Changes to case management meetings and provisions around witnesses.

Full details are contained in the rules document and key changes are highlighted in the accompanying consultation document.

Following the consultation, the rules will be subject to parliamentary and Privy Council processes, prior to the opening date and transfer of regulation to the GPhC. This date will be set once the parliamentary timetable for 2010 is clear.

To view the rules consultation documents, and send your comments, please go to the current consultations page of this website.

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