Pharmacist
- Regulators
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- General Pharmaceutical Council
- Nations
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- England
- Scotland
- Wales
- Sectors
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- Health and care
Regulatory or professional bodies
Primary regulator
- Regulatory authority
- General Pharmaceutical Council
- Address
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Level 14
1 Cabot Square
London
E14 4QJ - Email address
- info@pharmacyregulation.org
- Phone number
- +44 (0)20 3713 8000
Regulation
Regulation summary
Pharmacists, as experts in medicines, play a vital role in delivering care and helping people to maintain and improve their health, safety and wellbeing.
Pharmacists are regulated in Great Britain by the General Pharmaceutical Council (‘GPhC’). The role of the GPhC is to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of members of the public, particularly those who use or need the services of pharmacists, or the services provided at a registered pharmacy. This is done by ensuring that pharmacists, and those carrying on a retail pharmacy business at a registered pharmacy, adhere to the standards set by the GPhC as necessary for the safe and effective practice of pharmacy.
Regulation type
Reserved activities
• Responsibility for the safe custody, and direct supervision, of Controlled Drugs.
• Authorising the supply of certain veterinary medicines.
• Acting as the Responsible Pharmacist (RP), in charge of a registered pharmacy on a particular day or period of time, allowing it to operate lawfully
• Acting as the Superintendent Pharmacist (SI) for a body corporate that owns a registered pharmacy, responsible for the management of the business with respect to the retail sale and supplies of medicines generally.
• Responsibility for the sale of medicinal products (including General Sales List medicines) from the registered pharmacy.
• Responsibility for, and supervising, the supply of Pharmacy (P) medicines (through retail sales and in circumstances corresponding to retail sale).
• Responsibility for, and supervising, the supply of Prescription Only Medicines (POMs) against a prescription (through retail sales and in circumstances corresponding to retail sale), and through other authorised routes.
• Responsibility for, and supervising, the assembling, preparation or dispensing of medicines.
• Authorising the sale of poisons.
Protected titles
The title of 'pharmacist' is protected. It is an offence to use the title ‘pharmacist’ or ‘fferyllydd’ (its equivalent in the Welsh language) without being entered as a pharmacist in Part 1 on the GPhC Register.
It is also an offence to use the titles ‘chemist and druggist’, ‘druggist’, ‘dispensing chemist’, and ‘dispensing druggist’ or take or use the title of ‘chemist’ in connection with the sale of any goods by retail or the supply of any goods in circumstances corresponding to retail sale.
Qualifications and experience
New professionals
- Routes to qualification
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• Successful completion of a Great Britain or Northern Ireland accredited 4-year MPharm degree;
• Successful completion of a 52-week programme of pre-registration training in Great Britain; and
• Pass result of the common registration assessment conducted by the GPhC.
To practise as a pharmacist in Northern Ireland, you must instead register with the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. - More about qualification
- https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/registration/registering-pharmacist
Professionals from outside the UK
- Recognition for professionals outside the UK
- Some - qualifications from some countries may be recognised, but professionals from other countries will have to re-qualify
- Summary of routes
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Applicants will need to demonstrate their English language skills meet our requirements.
Qualification route – EU Directive
People that qualified as a pharmacist in a European Union (EU) country can make an application to have their qualification recognised by the GPhC (and then apply to register and practise as a pharmacist in Great Britain), if the qualification:
• Is from an EU country listed in Annex V, section 5.6.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC;
• Was started after the reference date specified against the EU country in which the qualification was awarded; and
• Complies with all the minimum training requirements described in Article 44 of Directive 2005/36/EC.Qualification route – EEA-EFTA
People that qualified as a pharmacist in Iceland, Lichtenstein, or Norway, would be required to:
• provide evidence of their pharmacist qualification and supporting documents;
• complete a self-assessment to demonstrate where their qualification and/or experience shows that they would meet the knowledge and skills required through the UK initial education and training learning outcomes.Applicants may then be required to complete a period of adaptation (training), and/or pass an aptitude test (exam), before they can apply to join the pharmacists' register.
Qualification route - Switzerland
The UK and Switzerland are party to the Citizens’ Rights Agreement (CRA), meaning Swiss nationals and any dependents or spouses with acquired rights in Switzerland can apply for registration with the GPhC. This agreement runs until 31 December 2024.
Please note: the Recognition of Professional Qualifications provisions of the CRA apply to Swiss and UK nationals only. Applicants have until the end of 2024 to apply for recognition where they had not started the relevant procedure before the Implementation Period Completion Date, as long as they are qualified or were in the process of gaining their qualifying before that date.
Qualification route – Overseas
Pharmacists that qualified outside of the EEA + Switzerland, or hold an EEA pharmacist qualification which is not a ‘relevant’ qualification (other than a UK-recognised pharmacist qualification) must successfully complete:
• an Overseas Pharmacists' Assessment Programme (OSPAP);
• a 52-week programme of foundation training in Great Britain; and
• the registration assessment, conducted by the General Pharmaceutical Council. - More about recognition for professionals outside the UK
- https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/registration/registering-pharmacist/eea-qualified-pharmacists
Registration
- Registration requirements
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To practise as pharmacist in England, Scotland or Wales you must apply for, and maintain, registration with the GPhC. Following acceptance onto the Register as a pharmacist, professionals must renew their registration with the GPhC each year. As part of the renewal process, professionals must declare that they are mentally and physically fit to practise.
In addition to renewing their registration, professionals must complete a process termed ‘revalidation’ in order to maintain their registration with the GPhC. This involves carrying out, recording and submitting:
• A minimum of four Continuing Professional Development records (two of which must be planned learning activities);
• A peer discussion; and
• A reflective account record, in which they would reflect on how they have met one or more of the standards for pharmacy professionals in their practice.To practise as a pharmacist in Northern Ireland, you must apply for, and maintain, registration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
- More about registration
- https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/registration/registering-pharmacist
Legislation
- Title of relevant act or charter
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Pharmacy Order 2010
The Medicines (Pharmacies) (Responsible Pharmacist) Regulations 2008
Medicines Act 1968
The Human Medicines Regulations 2012
Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013
The Poisons Act 1972 - Website link to legislation
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2010/9780111487358/contents