Your guide to Pharmacy Law and Ethics
This archive contains General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Fitness to Practise (FtP) case summaries, detailing regulatory decisions affecting pharmacy professionals in the UK.
Each case provides insight into professional misconduct, errors, and ethical breaches that led to sanctions such as suspension, removal, or warnings. These summaries are valuable for:
The decisions in these cases shape the legal and ethical landscape of pharmacy practice. Staying informed can help pharmacy professionals avoid similar mistakes and maintain high professional standards.
Date of Decision: March 12, 2021
Allegations: Conviction for voyeurism on multiple occasions between July 2017 and October 2018. Conviction for taking indecent images of a child.
Outcome: Removed
Date of Decision: December 14, 2021
Allegations: Removed a Pharmacy’s controlled drugs register for methadone and took it home. Entrusted the controlled drugs register to a non-pharmacist third party. Supplied Flucloxacillin to himself without a prescription. Supplied Venlafaxine to himself without a prescription. Left boxes of Ritalin outside the controlled drugs cabinet. Stored patient-returned controlled drugs in a locker for two weeks. Removed date-expired and/or patient-returned Nicorette products for personal use. Removed date-expired Nicorette and vitamin products from a second pharmacy for personal use. Engaged an unqualified person to assist in a pharmacy.
Outcome: Application granted
Date of Decision: August 2, 2023
Allegations: Dispensed controlled drugs to patients without a prescription. Failed to ensure the safe dispensing of controlled drugs by self-checking. Instructed dispensers to give controlled drugs without supervision. Failed to report incidents on the company reporting system in a timely manner.
Outcome: Suspension for 6 months
Date of Decision: October 18, 2023
Allegations: Failed to ensure appropriate indemnity insurance for the pharmacy between 6 April 2010 and 29 November 2020. Dishonestly declared having professional indemnity insurance during GPhC registration renewals from 2009 to 2020. Misled a GPhC inspector about the lapse of indemnity insurance. Dishonestly concealed the full duration of operating without indemnity insurance.
Outcome: Suspension of three months, no review
Date of Decision: November 10, 2023
Allegations: Conviction for dangerous driving on 11 October 2022. Failure to notify the General Pharmaceutical Council of the conviction within 7 days as required.
Outcome: Removal from the Register
Date of Decision: November 20, 2023
Allegations: Conviction of theft of medication from Badhams Pharmacy. Possession of prescription-only medication intended for supply to friends without a prescription. Dishonest conduct by taking ibuprofen and/or paracetamol without permission or payment.
Outcome: Suspension (6 months)
Date of Decision: February 3, 2020
Allegations: Conviction of theft from a shop or stall on 27 October 2017 at Ipswich Crown Court. Conviction of absconding on 2 August 2018 at Ipswich Crown Court.
Outcome: Removal from the Register
Date of Decision: March 6, 2020
Allegations: Ordered and failed to record controlled drugs in the pharmacy's register. Removed and supplied controlled drugs to an unknown third party without a valid prescription. Dishonestly removed medications from the pharmacy without permission or payment. Supplied medication for clinical treatment without a valid prescription or clinical advice. Removed medication from unknown pharmacies for self-medication.
Outcome: Removal from the Register
Date of Decision: September 8, 2021
Allegations: Dishonesty in claiming payments for Medicine Use Reviews (MURs) that were not conducted. Falsification of records and attempts to cover up misconduct. Inappropriate and misleading behavior towards patients.
Outcome: Restoration to the register.
Date of Decision: February 29, 2024
Allegations: Failed to produce pharmacy records including Controlled Drugs (CD) registers during inspections. Pharmacy records were kept at home and were not up to date. Errors and discrepancies in CD registers, including missing entries and discrepancies between recorded and actual drug balances. Schedule 2 Controlled Drug not securely stored. Deficiencies in emergency supply records. Risk of breaching patient confidentiality by keeping records at home.
Outcome: Indefinite suspension