The General Pharmaceutical Council is committed to delivering equality, improving diversity and being inclusive in all our work as a healthcare regulator and an employer.
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is central to everything that we do and are woven throughout our Vision 2030 and Strategic Plan, which sets out our roadmap for the future of pharmacy regulation.
Follow the links below to navigate to the different areas of content within this page:
Our strategy
Standards and guidance
Reasonable adjustments
Inclusive pharmacy practice
Case studies and articles
Racism in pharmacy: roundtable report
Other resources and information
Our memberships
Welsh Language Scheme
Our strategy
Delivering equality, improving diversity and fostering inclusion: our strategy for change 2021 – 2026 [PDF 986 KB]. This is a framework which outlines how we work together with internal and external stakeholders to meet our Public Sector Equality Duty created under the Equality Act 2010, and go beyond our legal obligations in this area.
Read this strategy in Welsh [PDF 689 KB]
The strategy covers all aspects of our work as a regulator and employer. It sets out three strategic themes, each of which is underpinned with a series of strategic objectives and outcomes. It will be implemented through an action plan which maps out key activities for delivery and success measures.
We report annually to our Council on progress and we may provide other interim updates as and when necessary.
We consulted on our draft strategy to help transform the GPhC’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion - Read the consultation analysis report [PDF 638 KB]
Standards and guidance
In practice: guidance on religion, personal values and beliefs [PDF 846 KB]
Reasonable adjustments
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 find out more about what we can do.
Read our guide to reasonable adjustments [PDF 398 KB]
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.
Inclusive pharmacy practice focuses on making the workplace more inclusive for pharmacy professionals, with a senior leadership that reflects our diverse communities, to improve health inequalities in the population. It involves open conversations and meaningful actions to improve the experience of both patients and pharmacy professionals.
It is about engaging with local communities, helping to improve their health, and addressing the inequalities that people – particularly those from ethnically diverse backgrounds – can experience.
You can read more about the IPP principles and themes on the NHS England website and GPhC's contribution to the Inclusive Pharmacy Practice bulletin. [PDF 225 KB]
Here are some examples of IPP in practice:
New joint national plan to make pharmacy practice more inclusive (2021)
Cardiovascular disease: how pharmacy teams are supporting their local communities (2022) [PDF 170 KB]
Case studies and articles about equality, diversity and inclusion in pharmacy
Focus on equality, diversity and inclusion: examples from our Knowledge hub (2021)
Supplying sodium valproate safely to women and girls (2019)
Religion, personal values and beliefs: providing emergency hormonal contraception (2019)
Focus on pride in practice (2017)
Starting important conversations (2016)
Racism in pharmacy
Racism in pharmacy: roundtable report
On 1 November 2022, we brought together key stakeholders from across the pharmacy sector, to discuss how racism manifests and affects pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and how this can have a resulting impact on patient care. The round table report includes highlights from external speakers and GPhC staff, as well as a summary of the points raised by stakeholders during the plenary discussion. The report also includes an overview of the work that the GPhC has already undertaken in line with the EDI strategy, and further action that has been identified by stakeholders as next steps.
Other resources and information
General Pharmaceutical Council response to the UK Equalities Office consultation on banning conversion therapy [PDF 209 KB]
Our memberships
We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and also member of Business Disability Forum.
Being members of specialist equality organisations leading in their sectors means that we are a part of a wider pool of employers and organisations from across sectors on a journey to advance equality, raise awareness, celebrate diversity and promote inclusion. Through our memberships, we receive dedicated support and advice, and keep abreast of the most up to dated good practice to support our workforce.
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Welsh Language Scheme
The GPhC recognises the cultural and linguistic needs of the Welsh speaking public and we are committed to implementing the principle of equality at every opportunity and can see the full value in providing a service to patients and the public in their chosen language. The Welsh language scheme [PDF 646 KB] has been agreed so that the GPhC can provide services to the Welsh speaking public.