Fitness to practise

The people behind the biggest pharmacy stories of 2016

In our review of 2016, The Pharmaceutical Journal highlights the people behind the biggest pharmacy stories of the past 12 months. These are men and women who we considered to be the most strongly connected with the news stories that had the biggest impact on our readers.…

Pharmacists wanting to practise in the UK must prove English language skills

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who qualified in the European Economic Area or Switzerland who want to practise in the UK now have to prove they have the necessary knowledge of the English language before they can register with the relevant professional regulator.…

GPhC warns pharmacy owners to deliver safe services regardless of funding cuts

The British pharmacy regulator has stressed that pharmacy owners must continue to ensure they have enough qualified staff to provide safe services, despite funding cuts that are due to be implemented from 1 December 2016.…

British pharmacy regulator ticks all boxes on annual performance review for first time

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has received a clean bill of health in its annual performance review from the oversight regulator, the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), for the first time. All standards were met by the regulator in the report for 2015–2016 and the review …

Law and pharmacy: a dual career

Richard Hough is a partner at Brabners LLP, a commercial law firm in north west England, where he established a specialist pharmacy law team. He has been also a pharmacist for 26 years, a role which he says sets him apart from nearly every other legal adviser. …

Pharmacy2U’s commercial director suspended from the register over data sales

The General Pharmaceutical Council has suspended Julian Harrison, commercial director of the online pharmacy Pharmacy2U, from the register for three months for selling patient data to third parties.…

Pharmacy2U directors face fitness to practise committee over sale of patient data

The pharmacist directors of online pharmacy company Pharmacy2U have been referred to a General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) fitness-to-practise hearing over allegations relating to the sale of patient data.…

Pharmacy regulator confirms that it is still seeking surveillance powers

The pharmacy regulator has confirmed that it is still in discussions with the government over new surveillance powers to help it uncover illegal professional practice.…

Honesty to be considered in fitness to practise assessments

The UK pharmacy regulator the General Pharmaceutical Council has issued guidance to fitness to practise committees when deciding appropriate sanctions for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in particular cases.…

The UK fitness-to-practise process: from complaint to appeal

If a complaint is brought against a pharmacist in the UK, what can he or she expect from the fitness-to-practise process? Ailsa Colquhoun explains.…