GPhC Suspends Polish Locum Pharmacist After Repeated Professional Boundary Breaches With Junior Female Colleagues
Date of Decision: September 9, 2026
Registrant's Role: Pharmacist
Allegations:
- On or around 11 September 2024, while working as a locum pharmacist at a Peak Pharmacy branch in Staveley, the registrant stood close to a female colleague, Colleague A.
- On or around 13 September 2024, while working at a Peak Pharmacy branch in Halfway, Sheffield, the registrant: stood close to and/or leaned over Colleague A on more than one occasion; blocked Colleague A on two occasions.
- On one or more occasions between January and March 2025, while working at Clifton Court Pharmacy in Darlington, the registrant made inappropriate comments to another female colleague, Colleague B: words to the effect of, “is the CCTV on and would it be watching us?”; words to the effect of, “where else do you have long hair? Everywhere else?”
- By the conduct proved under allegations 1–3, the registrant created a working environment that violated colleagues’ dignity and/or was hostile, degrading, humiliating or intimidating.
- The registrant knew or ought to have known that the conduct alleged under allegations 1, 2 and/or 3 was inappropriate.
Outcome: Six-month suspension
GPhC Standards Breached:
- Standard 2 – Work in partnership with others, including demonstrating effective team working.
- Standard 6 – Behave in a professional manner, including being polite and considerate, treating people with respect, safeguarding their dignity, and maintaining appropriate personal and professional boundaries with people receiving care and with others.
- Standard 9 – Demonstrate leadership, including taking responsibility for practice and demonstrating leadership to the people pharmacy professionals work with.
Case Summary
Allegations
This case concerned repeated breaches of professional boundaries by an experienced locum pharmacist towards two young female members of pharmacy staff at different workplaces. Significantly, the incidents occurred after the registrant had already received a GPhC warning in November 2023 concerning strikingly similar issues: respecting professional boundaries, protecting the privacy and dignity of colleagues, respecting personal space and avoiding uninvited personal discussions or comments about physical appearance.
The first series of incidents involved Colleague A, a relief dispenser working at Peak Pharmacy. On 11 September 2024, the registrant was alleged to have repeatedly stood unusually close to her. Colleague A described the registrant as standing approximately half a metre to one metre away and “loitering” nearby for periods of around two minutes without an apparent work-related reason. Although she found this annoying, she did not report feeling the same degree of distress that arose during later events.
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- Full allegations considered by the GPhC/PSNI
- Panel findings and reasoning
- Outcome of the investigation
- Sanctions considered and imposed on the Pharmacist
- Key professional learning points
Original Case Document
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