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General Pharmaceutical Council standards consultation

21 October 2009

The draft standards framework for the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has been made available for formal, statutory consultation from 21 October 2009 to 12 January 2010.

The GPhC will be given the power, in the draft Pharmacy Order 2009 (subject to parliamentary approval), to set standards in a number of areas including:

• Pharmacy owners, superintendents and premise
• Conduct, ethics and performance (which also includes guidance on the consent and confidentiality standards)
• Proficiency
• Education and training
• Continuing professional development (which also contains the draft policy on return to practice).

To enable the GPhC to take up its regulatory functions from spring 2010, the consultation is being undertaken in parallel to the parliamentary process to establish the GPhC.

Consequently the consultation is being taken forward by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE). The CHRE is an independent body accountable to Parliament whose primary purpose is to promote the health, safety and well-being of patients and other members of the public. The CHRE is currently responsible for scrutinising and overseeing the nine health professions regulators in the UK.

Harry Cayton, Chief Executive of CHRE, said: ''I am pleased CHRE is able to support the establishment of the GPhC by hosting this consultation.''

Bob Nicholls CBE, Chair designate of the GPhC, said: ''I am delighted that the formal consultation on the proposed new standards for the GPhC is being launched today. This marks another important milestone in the establishment of the new pharmacy regulator.

''The standards reflect the input of a wide variety of stakeholders, including many members of the public, and I would like to thank those who have contributed via our workshops throughout 2009.

''I encourage all pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy owners, and patients and the public, to read the standards and to let us have any comments they wish to make. We will listen to their views and consider how we can incorporate them.''

Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive designate of the GPhC, said:

''This consultation is very important for every pharmacist and pharmacy technician who intends to remain registered, or to newly register, with the GPhC. The standards will affect the working lives of all registrants and, ultimately, the quality of services they provide to the public on a day to day basis. We are very keen to hear people’s views to ensure we get this right for the public and for professionals who deliver these important services.''

Draft guidance has also been produced for some of the standards, particularly where stakeholders have indicated that they felt that it was in the interests of patient safety or in the public interest to do so. The opportunity is being taken to seek views on the draft guidance as part of the standards consultation.

In addition, there will be a separate statutory consultation on the legislative rules for the GPhC later in autumn 2009.

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