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UK countries

The GPhC will be responsible for the regulation of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in England, Scotland and Wales. There will be no difference in regulation, but the development of regulatory standards under the draft Pharmacy Order 2009 will take into account differences in health service delivery and will ensure that the standards set are fit for purpose in all three countries.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 includes provisions that would enable the transfer of all regulatory functions currently carried out by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland if the Northern Ireland Minister so decided. The Minister has delayed any decision until the GPhC is established in Great Britain.

There are no places on the Council reserved specifically for each of the professions regulated by the GPhC, nor for specific sectors of practice. However, in the interests of reflecting the differences between England, Scotland and Wales, the draft Pharmacy Order 2009 states that at least one person on the Council should live or work wholly or mainly in each of the three countries.

While the draft Pharmacy Order 2009 covers the whole of Great Britain, the statutory regulation of pharmacy technicians is a devolved issue. This means that the Scottish Parliament has the power to legislate on the professional regulation of pharmacy technicians in Scotland, but not on the professional regulation of pharmacists.