We have written to pharmacy professionals and pharmacy owners today to update them on our approach to regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This includes stopping routine inspections of pharmacies and producing inspection reports from today. Instead, we are moving to a supportive phase, still carrying out our role but working differently with pharmacy owners and pharmacy teams.
If one of our inspectors contacts a pharmacy via phone or visits a pharmacy, it will be to discuss their plans and arrangements for the pandemic. Our inspectors will answer queries and provide support to pharmacy owners, pharmacy professionals and teams. Their work will also help in building understanding of the challenges faced by the pharmacy profession at this time, and through our knowledge hub, share best practice in how to meet these challenges.
We are grateful for the important contribution made by everyone working in pharmacy during the pandemic and we will continue to support pharmacy professionals and owners to provide safe and effective care to patients and the public.
You can read the full email from Duncan Rudkin, our Chief Executive, here.