Renewal fees for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies will remain at their current levels for 2013/14.
The GPhC’s Council agreed to freeze fees after considering the organisation’s budget for 2013/14 at its meeting yesterday (Thursday 7 February 2013).
This follows a ten per cent decrease in fees for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians for 2012/13. Fees will remain at those 2012/13 levels.
The fees for entry to the pre-registration scheme and registration assessment for prospective pharmacists, and the assessment of overseas-qualified pharmacists, will also remain at the same levels for 2013/14.
The Council also discussed the GPhC’s rolling corporate plan for April 2013 – March 2016.
The plan sets out the key aims and objectives for the GPhC for the coming year and beyond, which include commitments to:
- identify improvements to the education and training of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, including reviewing the standards of education and training for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and the current model of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- implement the new standards for registered pharmacies and the new inspection regime which is currently under development. The new model is expected to be implemented fully within the business year 2013/14
- launch a review of the core standards of conduct, ethics and performance.
The corporate plan reflects that the GPhC will also need to be ready to respond to major external developments. These developments include the publication of the Francis report on the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, decisions by ministers on the Law Commissions’ review of health professions regulation, the ‘rebalancing’ initiative led by the UK Chief Pharmaceutical Officers and developments in pharmacy education.
Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive of the General Pharmaceutical Council, said:
“Council has agreed an ambitious programme of work that will significantly change the way we regulate pharmacy professionals and pharmacies over the coming years. We also need to be ready to respond effectively to external changes in pharmacy practice, in education and training and in regulation.
“The major policy and operational challenges ahead will require significant investment. After carefully considering the budget, Council decided that it would therefore be appropriate to freeze fees for registrants at their current levels for 2013/14, to ensure we have sufficient resources to meet these challenges”.