Hospital Pharmacy Technician Removed from Register for Dishonestly Accessing and Stealing £100,000 of High-Cost Medications

Date of Decision: July 16, 2025

Registrant's Role: Pharmacy technician

Allegations:

• Attended Trust premises and accessed the dispensary under false pretences on multiple occasions post-employment.
• Persuaded staff of legitimate presence and accessed computer systems without authorisation.
• Dispensed medication while logged in under another staff member's account.
• Accessed confidential patient information without authorisation.
• Removed high-value medications from Trust premises without authorisation.
• Acted dishonestly by lying to staff and knowingly removing unauthorised drugs.

Outcome: Removal from the register

GPhC Standards Breached:

• Standard 6 – Behave in a professional manner

Case Summary

Allegations

This case concerns a pharmacy technician who was found to have engaged in serious misconduct involving dishonesty and unauthorised access to hospital facilities, systems, and medications. After the termination of his employment with Barts Health NHS Trust in January 2020, the registrant re-entered the Royal London Hospital’s dispensary on at least five occasions between June and July 2020 under false pretences.

During these visits, the registrant misled staff by claiming he was collecting data for a pharmacy course. He convinced staff to allow him access to the JAC stock control system and, in one instance, used another staff member’s login to dispense medication under the guise of it being for a legitimate patient. Notably, four vials of Eculizumab (Soliris), a high-cost medication, were logged as dispensed but never reached the intended patient.

Additionally, the registrant accessed confidential patient information without authorisation. Hospital stock checks revealed that medications including Eculizumab, Natalizumab (Tysabri), and Palivizumab (Synagis), among others, were missing. The value of the missing medication was estimated to exceed £100,000. The registrant was alleged to have taken this medication despite having no authorisation or legitimate reason to do so.

Findings

The Fitness to Practise Committee found numerous allegations proven. Key findings included:

• The registrant deceived hospital staff by presenting himself as having a legitimate educational purpose.
• He was observed using the JAC system and accessing fridge stock, notably high-value biologics.
• He dispensed Eculizumab for a named patient without authorisation and accessed that patient’s confidential data.
• He was the only common link on the dates when discrepancies in high-cost medication stocks were identified.

The panel rejected the registrant’s explanations, noting inconsistencies and lack of credibility. In contrast, the testimony of pharmacists present during the events was found to be consistent, honest, and corroborated by CCTV footage.

GPhC Determination on Impairment

The Committee deemed the registrant’s fitness to practise impaired due to the gravity of the misconduct, the dishonesty involved, and the ongoing risk he posed to public trust and safety. The registrant had shown no insight or remorse and blamed others, suggesting no likelihood of remediation.

The panel concluded that the behaviour demonstrated a fundamental breach of trust and was incompatible with being a pharmacy professional. It stated:

“[The Registrant] used knowledge he had gained while working in the dispensary and betrayed the trust of colleagues who had trusted him in order, they believed, to help him with his studies.”

Sanction

After considering all sanctions, including suspension and conditions, the Committee determined that removal from the register was the only appropriate and proportionate response. The misconduct involved calculated dishonesty, repeated deception, and theft of critical hospital medications. The risk to patient safety and damage to public confidence was deemed severe.

Despite a previously clean record and positive comments about past work, the panel found these factors insufficient to mitigate the seriousness of the conduct. The absence of insight and the calculated nature of the registrant’s actions heavily influenced the decision.

Key Learning Points for Pharmacy Professionals

1. Honesty and Integrity Are Non-Negotiable: Accessing pharmacy systems or medication under false pretences and misrepresenting intentions are serious breaches of professional standards. Even in the absence of criminal charges, such actions can lead to removal from the register.
2. Trust is Fundamental: The pharmacy profession depends on trust—between colleagues, with the public, and with the wider healthcare team. Breaches of this trust, especially those involving dishonesty and misuse of access, are considered among the most serious forms of misconduct.
3. System Access is a Privilege: Misusing login credentials, even with another’s permission, compromises data integrity and accountability. Pharmacy professionals must protect their credentials and refrain from using those of others.
4. High-Value Medications Require Rigorous Controls: The medications involved, such as Eculizumab and Natalizumab, are not only expensive but critical to patient care. Unauthorised removal disrupts care and poses serious clinical risks.
5. Remediation and Insight Are Crucial: The absence of any reflection, remorse, or attempt at remediation significantly affected the outcome. Professionals facing allegations must demonstrate a clear understanding of their misconduct and steps taken to prevent recurrence.

This case serves as a clear reminder that dishonesty—particularly when it endangers patient safety and undermines public trust—will be met with the most serious regulatory consequences. Pharmacy professionals must uphold the highest standards, particularly when handling sensitive systems and medications.

Original Case Document

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