Equality, diversity and inclusion

At the GPhC, we hold ourselves to the same high standards we expect from others. Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is foundational in everything we do, both as a regulator and as an employer.

Through our Vision 2030 and Strategic Plan, we are dedicated to supporting the pharmacy profession in delivering safe and effective care at the heart of healthier communities. We want pharmacy to be an inclusive place, free from discrimination, where everyone feels welcomed and valued.

The EDI Team

Our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team is dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusion at the GPhC. Focused on embedding these values across all our work, the team is here to support our goal of creating a welcoming, discrimination-free environment in the pharmacy sector. We encourage you to share any feedback, questions, or insights to help us continue building a more inclusive community.

Our EDI strategy and approach

We’ve worked together with people from both inside and outside our organisation to develop our strategy ‘Delivering equality, improving diversity and fostering inclusion’.  

In line with our strategy, we’re committed to being proactive and using all of our regulatory levers and influence to help tackle discrimination and reduce health inequalities. It’s also about equipping pharmacy teams to tackle discrimination and health inequalities, using our standards and guidance to help them do that.

The strategy covers all aspects of our work as a regulator and an employer. It includes three strategic themes, each underpinned with a set of objectives and outcomes. We report annually to our Council on progress, as well as providing interim updates as necessary. 

EDI diagram

Prior to launching it, we consulted on our draft strategy to help transform the GPhC’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Read the consultation analysis report

Providing services for Welsh language users

We recognise the cultural and linguistic needs of Welsh speaking people. We are committed to implementing the Welsh language standards.

The Welsh language standards promote and facilitate the Welsh language, and ensure that the Welsh language is not treated less favourably than the English language in Wales.

Welsh language standards

Reasonable adjustments - how we support the public and the people we regulate

If you have a disability, or mental health or physical health issue, we can help you by making adjustments to remove or reduce barriers you might be facing, when using our services.

If you think a reasonable adjustment may help, please read our guide to reasonable adjustments to find out more about what we can do.

Read the guide

Our memberships

We’re a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a member of the Business Disability Forum. 

Being members of specialist equality organisations means we’re a part of a wider movement of organisations that are working to advance equality, raise awareness, celebrate diversity and promote inclusion.

Equality focused roundtables

We’ve are hosting a series of equality focussed roundtables and events, to help shape our regulatory work, informed by the experiences our stakeholders.

This links directly to the commitments in our EDI strategy to help tackle the different types of discrimination within pharmacy and to support an open and inclusive culture where pharmacy teams are empowered to meet their professional and legal obligations.  

Report from Racism in pharmacy roundtable - November 2022

Report from Language barriers and health inequalities roundtable - September 2023

Report from Racism in pharmacy roundtable - October 2023

Gender pay gap reporting

We are committed to the fair treatment and reward of all our employees. As of April 2023, the GPhC employed over 250 employees and so, for the first time, we are required to publish our gender pay gap data.

Read the report

Protected characteristics of pharmacists involved in the managing concerns process 

Our report provides a breakdown of concerns raised about pharmacists by age, ethnicity and sex in 2021/22, looking specifically at concerns received and investigated, statutory outcomes of closed concerns and progression through the process.  

Read the report

Inclusive pharmacy practice

Inclusive pharmacy practice (IPP) is a joint initiative with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK, and a number of partner organisations, including the General Pharmaceutical Council. Our chief executive, Duncan Rudkin, sits on the IPP Advisory Board.

IPP focuses on making the workplace more inclusive for pharmacy professionals, with a senior leadership that reflects our diverse communities. And engaging with local communities, helping to address health inequalities.

Read our case studies and contributions to the IPP bulletin:

Cardiovascular disease: how pharmacy teams are supporting their local communities 

Improving diversity in senior pharmacy professional leadership 

Tackling differential attainment together 

Supporting mental health and wellbeing through pharmacy regulation

Equality insights and case studies

Explore our articles and case studies about equality, diversity and inclusion in pharmacy to learn more about these important topics.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): tackling health inequalities through inclusive pharmacy practice (2024)

Second joint statement on meeting regulatory standards during periods of global or national shortage of medicines and people with Type-2 diabetes (2024)

Gender services for children and young people: new resource for pharmacy professionals (2024)

Working together to create a positive, open culture (2023)

Training and responsibilities of pharmacy staff providing a delivery service, and vulnerable patients (2023)

Joint statement on the impact of pharmacy workforce wellbeing on patient (2023)

First joint statement on meeting regulatory standards during periods of global or national shortage of medicines and people with Type-2 diabetes (2023)

Patient Safety Spotlight: Menopause Awareness Month special - the risks of prescribing and supplying hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (2023)

Equality insights snapshot (2023)

Providing pharmacy services to patients and their carers living with dementia (2023)

Making changes: our work on equality, diversity and inclusion (2023)

Pride in Practice and the role of pharmacy teams in providing LGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare (2023) 

Patient Safety Spotlight: managing the risks associated with providing community pharmacy clinical services (2023)

Gender incongruence services for children and young people: new NHS England interim service specification (2023)

Gender identity: pharmaceutical care for children and young people (2023)

Focus on equality, diversity and inclusion: examples from our Knowledge hub (2021)

Religion, personal values and beliefs: providing emergency hormonal contraception (2019)