Equality, diversity and inclusion

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

Delivering the EDI strategy: End of year reports

Managing concerns

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 

Gender pay gap   


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.

Wheel with the three themes of our strategy. Theme 1 is ‘To make regulatory decisions that are demonstrably fair and lawful, and so free from discrimination and bias’. Theme 2 is ‘To use our standards to proactively help tackle discrimination in all pharmacy settings and to make sure everyone can access person-centred care, fostering equality in health outcomes’ Theme 3 is ‘To lead by example and demonstrate best practice within our organisation, holding ourselves to the same high standards we expect of others’.

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]  


Delivering the EDI strategy: End of year reports 

Diversity data analysis

This is an initial analysis of diversity data of professionals involved in the GPhC managing concerns process. 

Read the analysis report [PDF 909 KB] 

End of Year 1 report

This report sets out the activity we have completed in year one, under each of our strategic themes. 

Read the report on the first year of our strategy (2022/23) [PDF 870 KB]   


Managing concerns

Protected characteristics of pharmacists involved in the managing concerns process for 2021/22 [PDF 1MB]  

This 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.  


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 

New joint national plan to make pharmacy practice more inclusive (2021)

You can read GPhC case studies and contributions to the IPP bulletin:

Cardiovascular disease: how pharmacy teams are supporting their local communities (2022) [PDF 170 KB]   

Improving diversity in senior pharmacy professional leadership 

Tackling differential attainment together [PDF 225KB]


Case studies and articles about equality, diversity and inclusion in pharmacy

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)

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]  

GPhC response to HIS consultation on national standards for gender identity care [PDF 343 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.  

Stonewall diversity champion logo Business disability forum logo

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.

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.

See our gender pay gap report [PDF 172KB]

We've set out what we’re doing to narrow the gap in our report on the first year of our EDI strategy.