Date of Decision: November 24, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacist was convicted at Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court on 14 April 2021 for:
Forgery—creating a false prescription for a large quantity of codeine.
Presenting the forged prescription to a colleague at Boots pharmacy.
The forged prescription:
Used a former university acquaintance’s prescriber details without their knowledge.
Was for 2000ml of codeine oral solution, an opioid known for its high risk of misuse and addiction.
Contained errors (missing patient DOB) that the pharmacist hoped would be noticed, preventing the supply.
The GPhC accepted that the pharmacist was allegedly threatened into writing the prescription by an unknown male who had approached him outside his home.
The pharmacist did not report the threats to police or his employer, instead choosing to write the false prescription in an attempt to resolve the situation.
Boots staff became suspicious, contacted the listed prescriber (who denied issuing it), and reported the pharmacist to the police.
Outcome: Suspension for 4 months
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Date of Decision: June 1, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacist was convicted of two counts of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006 and possession of a Class A controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Fraud Allegations:
He lied on job applications by falsely stating that he had no pending investigations or disciplinary action.
He submitted a fraudulent reference from a former employer to obtain a position at St Albans City Hospital.
As a result of his dishonest employment practices, he earned £9,000 fraudulently.
Drug Possession Allegations:
While working as a Responsible Pharmacist at Day Lewis Pharmacy, he was caught with fentanyl patches concealed in his trousers during a spot check.
He initially claimed they belonged to a relative, but a police investigation found no medical history supporting this claim.
He refused a police caution and later pleaded guilty before trial.
Sentencing:
The pharmacist was sentenced to 9 months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months for each of the fraud and drug offences.
He was also ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and pay a £1,000 fine towards prosecution costs.
Outcome: Removal from the GPhC register
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Date of Decision: February 9, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacist was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court on 20 January 2020 for:
Supplying Class C controlled drugs without proper authorisation between July 2015 and September 2016.
Possessing Class C controlled drugs with intent to supply.
He operated three community pharmacies in Birmingham, one of which had a Wholesale Dealer’s Authorisation (WDA) but did not have a Home Office Controlled Drugs Licence.
The MHRA identified large-scale illegal supply of controlled drugs, leading to an investigation.
On 13 September 2016, an unannounced MHRA inspection found significant quantities of unaccounted-for controlled drugs at one of his pharmacies.
Between 2015 and 2016, he unlawfully diverted over 1.4 million tablets of controlled drugs, including:
588,000 Zopiclone tablets
337,000 Diazepam tablets
238,000 Nitrazepam tablets
27,000 Zolpidem tablets
The estimated street value of these drugs was between £854,000 and £1.4 million.
The pharmacist lied to investigators, concealed the financial gains, and refused to disclose the buyers.
He was sentenced to 28 months' imprisonment and later released on licence.
Outcome: Suspension for 12 months
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Date of Decision: February 3, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacist was convicted of three counts of fraud, defrauding over £500,000 from an individual (Person A) and a business (Company A).
He fabricated an investment opportunity in a US pharmacy, falsely claiming he needed funds due to his business being seized by the US government.
He lied about having testicular cancer to obtain financial assistance from a church member for supposed medical treatment.
He submitted fraudulent invoices for a pharmaceutical warehouse project, pocketing funds meant for construction and licensing fees.
The fraud was described in court as sophisticated and prolonged, spanning over 10 months, with multiple layers of deception.
Outcome: Removal from the GPhC register
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Date of Decision: May 9, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacist prescribed medications inappropriately, including for animals, despite not being a veterinary prescriber.
Issued unlawful prescriptions that lacked appropriate authority.
Failed to carry out adequate checks on patient suitability, medication appropriateness, or follow-up monitoring.
Acted outside the scope of his competency, issuing high-risk prescriptions for conditions requiring specialist knowledge.
Prescribed large quantities of controlled and high-risk drugs without necessary clinical oversight or review.
Was found to have participated in an online prescribing model that failed to meet regulatory safety standards.
Outcome: Suspension for four months
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Date of Decision: January 20, 2022
Allegations: While working as an Independent Prescriber (PIP) at Instant E-Care Ltd, the pharmacist:
Prescribed excessive quantities of opioids and Z-drugs to patients without adequate clinical checks.
Did not communicate with patients’ GPs, even when given consent, before prescribing high-risk medications.
Prescribed outside the scope of practice, issuing medication for chronic pain, hormonal conditions, and mental health disorders despite limited relevant training.
Allowed patients to pre-select medications and dosages through an online system without conducting meaningful consultations.
Failed to identify and address red flags in patient histories, issuing multiple prescriptions against current medical guidelines.
A journalist from The Times obtained 200 dihydrocodeine tablets and an additional 28 tablets within two days, highlighting loopholes in the pharmacy's opioid policy.
The GPhC investigation found no evidence of safe prescribing processes, and an expert witness deemed the prescribing "excessive" and "potentially dangerous."
Outcome: A 9-month suspension was imposed
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Date of Decision: July 5, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacy technician was subject to a Conditions of Practice Order from July 2019, following a Principal Hearing in 2018 where her fitness to practise was found to be impaired due to misconduct and deficient professional performance.
In June or July 2020, she applied for a job at Bromley GP Alliance and:
Failed to disclose her ongoing fitness to practise proceedings.
Misrepresented the extent of restrictions on her practice, only stating that she could not work as a locum or relief technician.
In October 2020, she submitted a DBS self-declaration form where she:
Answered "no" when asked if she was subject to fitness to practise restrictions, despite being under a Conditions of Practice Order.
Failed to answer a question about past investigations, and later falsely claimed the answer was “no” when prompted.
During a GPhC Review Hearing on 14 December 2020, she:
Falsely stated that her employer knew about her conditions of practice, when in reality, she had not informed them.
Misrepresented her role at Bromley, stating that she did not take medication histories, when her job description included this responsibility.
In February 2021, her employer discovered the dishonesty, and she was dismissed following an internal disciplinary hearing.
Outcome: Removal from the GPhC register.
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Date of Decision: February 3, 2022
Allegations: While working at Peak Pharmacy, Manchester, the pharmacist:
Returned prescriptions to NHS Spine on 16 May 2020 and 30 May 2020, despite the medications having already been collected by patients.
Attempted to conceal his actions by sending a Facebook message to a colleague asking her to "keep this between ourselves."
Falsified pharmacy records to hide the fact that the medications had been dispensed.
When confronted by a colleague, he panicked and attempted to persuade her not to report him, fearing he would be struck off.
The pharmacist later admitted his actions, citing pressure to meet performance targets as a contributing factor.
Outcome: A one-month suspension was imposed
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Date of Decision: June 7, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacist was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court on 12 December 2019 for:
Possessing a medicinal product for the purpose of wholesale distribution without a licence, contrary to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
Supplying a Class C controlled drug (Zolpidem) to another without authorization, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
The pharmacist, along with a business partner, exported over 20,000 packets of Zolpidem (500,000 tablets) to Trinidad without a Home Office Controlled Drugs Licence (HOCDL).
The shipments were deliberately mislabelled as “medical products” to avoid detection.
The pharmacist received payments into a personal bank account and attempted to mislead the MHRA during their investigation.
The MHRA investigation uncovered fraudulent invoicing and destruction of records to cover up the illegal supply.
Outcome: Removal from the GPhC register
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Date of Decision: January 7, 2022
Allegations: The pharmacist stole prescription medicines and other pharmacy stock valued at £44,842 while working as a locum pharmacist at a community pharmacy.
He ordered stock for the pharmacy but removed the items for personal use, placing them in his car during shifts.
CCTV footage showed him removing stock approximately four times per week over a 10-month period from January to October 2019.
The theft included prescription-only medicines, some of which required refrigeration, raising concerns about supply chain integrity and patient safety.
The pharmacist was caught on 12 October 2019 when the pharmacy owner observed him live on CCTV placing boxes into his car. The police were called, and he was arrested on-site.
He admitted the theft, stating that he was under financial pressure from setting up an online pharmacy business and described the theft as "borrowing stock."
He was convicted of theft at Merseyside Magistrates’ Court on 24 February 2021 and sentenced to 18 months of immediate imprisonment, with an order to pay compensation of £44,842.
Outcome: Removal from the GPhC register
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