The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has raised concerns over a record increase in the number of fitness to practise complaints it has received.

This month at the GPhC’s council meeting it was revealed that it had received over a 7% increase in the number fitness to practise between July and September 2019.  It has been reported that the GPhC received 709 concerns between these dates, compared to 662 complaints between March and June 2019.

The GPhC said it “will be paying close attention to see whether this increase is a return to our previous trajectory or a result of high-profile issues increasing public awareness”.

In July this year, the GPhC reported a 15% year-on-year increase in the number of complaints it has received about pharmacists on the register.

Outcomes

In July the GPhC further reported that he number of complaints that resulted in advice, rather than referral to an investigating committee or panel, increased by 19 % from 26% of all the concerns closed the earlier stage in 2017/2018 to 45% in 2018/2019.

GPhC Fitness to Practise – what you need to know

As a leading General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) defence barrister chambers, we have extensively written about the GPhC’s fitness to practise procedures and processes.

You can read more about the GPhC’s fitness to practise standards and other news on our website.