Regulation in healthcare

Online pharmacies are eight times more likely to fail regulatory standards, data show

Exclusive: Investigation reveals how some online pharmacies are repeatedly prescribing large amounts of opioids and z-drugs, in one case using an accountant to approve medicine orders.…

Nigel Clarke: ‘The pharmacy registration exam needs to be revisited’

As he steps down after eight years at the helm of the pharmacy regulator, Nigel Clarke reflects on his tenure during one of the most challenging times in the history of public health.…

RPS supports permanent move to remote fitness-to-practise hearings

The Society said that the increased likelihood of registrants attending remote hearings meant they had the potential to improve patient safety.…

Government proposes raising qualifying age for free NHS prescriptions to 66 years

The government has proposed raising the upper age exemption for prescriptions in England to generate additional revenue for the NHS.…

High Court quashes ‘antisemitism’ fitness-to-practise decision

The High Court judgement said that the General Pharmaceutical Council's fitness-to-practise committee "wrongly took account" of the intention of pharmacist Nazim Ali "when assessing whether his language was objectively antisemitic".…

GPhC to address over-representation of BAME pharmacists in fitness-to-practise concerns in overhauled process

The General Pharmaceutical Council has set out proposals to collect more data about the sources of fitness-to-practise concerns surrounding pharmacists from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.…

Pharmacy regulator to blind fitness-to-practise investigations against racial bias

The General Pharmaceutical Council is to introduce blind reviews during its fitness-to-practise investigations in an attempt to remove bias from the system. …

Pharmacy regulator proposes speeding up fitness-to-practise decisions by making more enquiries earlier

More enquiries could be made earlier in the fitness-to-practise process to ensure some concerns are dealt with more quickly, under a new strategy proposed by the pharmacy regulator.…

Pharmacy regulator fails four in ten fitness-to-practise standards in watchdog report

The General Pharmaceutical Council has failed to meet four out of ten fitness-to-practise standards set by the Professional Standards Authority, an annual review has found.…

Record number of complaints to regulator for the second quarter in a row

The number of fitness-to-practise complaints raised with the General Pharmaceutical Council has hit a record high for the second quarter in a row.…