GPhC Standards and Quality
To protect patient safety, the General Pharmaceutical Council is responsible for setting standards that ensure the safe and effective practice of pharmacy and for setting the education and training standards for pharmacy professionals.
Those standards comprise:
- Standards of conduct, ethics and performance – which set out the behaviours, attitudes and values expected of pharmacy professionals and explain the minimum standards with which all pharmacy professionals must comply;
- Standards for owners and superintendent pharmacists of retail pharmacy businesses – these ensure the safe and effective practice of pharmacy at registered pharmacies;
- Standards for continuing professional development – these apply equally to all pharmacy professionals and are not changed by factors such as part-time employment;
- Standards for the initial education and training for pharmacists – ensuring that newly registered pharmacists are competent to practise safely and effectively;
- Standards for the initial education and training for pharmacy technicians – ensuring that newly registered pharmacy technicians are competent to practise safely and effectively;
- Standards of proficiency – not yet in effect and currently subject to consultation.
Details of the various standards together with relevant guidance can be found on the GPhC web site at www.pharmacyregulation.org/regulatingpharmacy/standardsandquality/index.aspx
