The GPhC has welcomed a consultation by the Department of Health on two important proposals that will enable it to put on a statutory footing the publication of our inspection reports and move forwards on implementing a new way of regulating registered pharmacies.
As members of the Rebalancing Programme Board, the GPhC has been closely involved in these discussions for some time. We will formally respond to the consultation in due course.
Commenting on the specific proposals to facilitate the publication of reports and outcomes from pharmacy inspections, Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive of the GPhC said:
“In 2012 the GPhC set, for the first time, standards for registered pharmacies that were aimed at ensuring and improving pharmacy standards. The proposals in this consultation will provide us with the legal framework to implement a future model for publishing inspection reports, enabling us to take the final step towards enforcement against those standards.
“Following extensive engagement with and feedback from the profession and from patients we will publish an update paper on our regulatory standards and inspections very shortly. This update paper will set out how we propose to move forward in relation to some of the key elements of our work to modernise pharmacy regulation and in particular with regards to our inspection model.”
Commenting on the proposals for changing the law on inadvertent dispensing errors, Duncan Rudkin said:
“We have always taken a proportionate approach to dispensing errors and been clear that a single dispensing error where no aggravating factors exist is not a fitness to practise matter.
“Through our standards for registered pharmacies and our inspections model we continue to reinforce the requirement to establish a culture of openness, honesty and learning. Removing the threat of prosecution for simple errors will promote that agenda. We welcome the reflection of the importance of such an open and honest reporting culture in Sir Robert Francis’ report into whistleblowing in the NHS.”