Our role is to make sure pharmacy is safe and effective for patients and the public. We listen to patients and the public and involve them in our work. This helps us to protect the public and improve the care people receive from pharmacies and pharmacy professionals.
We work in partnership with patients, carers and members of the public in order to:
- understand people’s experiences and what they want from pharmacy services to help them improve their health and well-being
- provide advice and information to people about what safe and effective pharmacy care looks like and what standards they can expect
- make sure people’s voices are heard, including if they raise a concern about a pharmacy or a pharmacy professional
We use what we learn through our engagement with patients and the public to shape all of our work, including:
- the standards and guidance we develop for pharmacies and pharmacy professionals
- how we manage concerns about pharmacies and pharmacy professionals
We have an online patient and public panel with over 200 members, who we regularly engage with to help inform our work. We also work directly with organisations representing patients and the public to help us understand the views and experiences of the people they represent.
Key resources for patients and the public
We have produced a range of resources to let patients and the public know the standards they can expect and what good care looks like in pharmacy services. Click on the lines below to visit our website:
- Guide for patients and the public on what you can expect when visiting a pharmacy
- Poster about what you can expect when visiting a pharmacy
- Pharmacy inspection reports
- Guide on how to keep safe when getting medicines or treatment online
- Find out more about how to raise a concern about a pharmacy professional
We will continue to promote these resources and develop new resources to empower and support patients and the public.