GPhC Investigation and Adjudication: FtP Procedures
Complaints and the role of the GPhC
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the professional and regulatory body that covers registered pharmacists, registered pharmacy technicians and pharmacy owners in Great Britain. The primary objectives of the GPhC are to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public who use pharmaceutical services in England, Scotland and Wales
All pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who practice in Great Britain have to be registered with the GPhC and all registered pharmacies are inspected by the GPhC. The GPhC is responsible for ensuring that all pharmacists and pharmacy owners act in accordance with the Code of Ethics and with the laws relating to medicines and poisons. GPhC inspectors are given a number of powers under the Pharmacy Order 2010 that allow them to carry out investigations regarding complaints.
When the GPhC can take action
The GPhC takes action when any registrant is alleged to have failed to comply with standards of the Pharmacy Order 2010. Part 6 of the Pharmacy Order 2010, supplemented by more detailed rules, makes provision for the fitness to practise procedures of the Council. These procedures establish statutory mechanisms for the determination of allegations that a registrant's fitness to practise is impaired.
Sanctions available to the GPhC
The GPhC can deal with complaints which include:
complaints about the professional service provided by a pharmacist or pharmacy at all levels of healthcare, eg, a dispensing error, wrong labeling, or out of date medicine supplied
complaints about the conduct of a pharmacist, eg unprofessional behaviour
complaints against owners of pharmacies including companies
GPhC investigations will vary depending on the individual facts of a case.
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