Fitness to Practise Cases
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:
- Pharmacists & Pharmacy Technicians – to understand common regulatory pitfalls.
- Employers & HR Teams – to learn about professional accountability and compliance.
- Pharmacy Students – to prepare for real-world ethical challenges in pharmacy practice.
Why it matters:
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.
Use the form below to search for and filter cases that match your interests
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Superintendent Pharmacist Suspended for Practising Without Indemnity Insurance for Nearly Four Years
Allegations The central allegation in this case concerned the registrant, a pharmacist and superintendent of a London-based community pharmacy, who practised without professional indemnity insurance (PII) for nearly four years. During that period, from May 2013 to February 2017, he also made four annual renewal declarations to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), falsely confirming that […]
14 September 2025
Warning Issued for Pharmacist Over Excessive Codeine and Phenergan Orders Without Oversight
Allegations This case revolves around the registrant, a pharmacist serving as the Responsible Pharmacist at a retail pharmacy in Benfleet. Concerns were raised following an intelligence referral which triggered a GPhC inspection. At the heart of the allegation was the pharmacy’s excessive and unexplained ordering of controlled and potentially abused medications: Codeine Linctus (200ml) and […]
13 September 2025
Pharmacist Suspension Expires after Illegally Accessing Colleague’s Medical Records and Making Inappropriate Comments
Allegations The case involved a serious breach of data privacy and professional conduct by a pharmacist who accessed a junior colleague’s medical records without consent or clinical justification while working at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. The registrant then used this confidential information to make inappropriate and distressing comments to the colleague (referred to as Person […]
Pharmacy Technician Suspended for Tamiflu Dishonesty and Repeated Dispensing Failures
Allegations This case revolves around a pharmacy technician whose fitness to practise was called into question due to a combination of dishonesty and repeated professional failings. The most serious allegation involved the registrant’s false claim that a pharmacist had authorised the dispensing of six oseltamivir tablets. Oseltamivir is an antiviral used in the treatment of […]
8 September 2025
Locum Pharmacist Removed from GPhC Register After Stealing and Injecting Midazolam at Work
Allegations This case involved a locum pharmacist who was found to have engaged in serious misconduct while on duty at Tiffenbergs Chemist in Liverpool. The core of the allegations centred on his unlawful handling and self-administration of Midazolam, a Schedule 3 controlled drug, which he removed from pharmacy stock and injected into himself during working […]
7 September 2025
Responsible Pharmacist Issues Wrong Medication: Allopurinol-Atenolol Mix-Up Leads to Patient Harm
Allegations The case revolves around a serious medication error made by the registrant while performing duties as a Responsible Pharmacist. On 7 May 2024, the registrant checked and signed off a medication intended for Patient A, which was labelled as Allopurinol 100mg. However, the medication actually dispensed was Atenolol 100mg, a significant error given the […]
Pharmacist Warned for Repeated Data Breach of Ex-Husband’s Medical Records
Allegations In this case, the registrant, a practising pharmacist, came under scrutiny after it was discovered that she had inappropriately accessed sensitive medical records without valid clinical justification. Specifically, she accessed the medical records of her ex-husband on at least five occasions and those of her family members, relying solely on their verbal consent. These […]
NI Pharmacist Suspended for Theft of Controlled Drugs from McKenzie’s Pharmacy
Allegations The case concerned serious allegations of misconduct against a registered pharmacist who was employed at McKenzie’s Pharmacy, North Queen Street, Belfast. The core of the misconduct related to the unlawful misappropriation and possession of prescription-only and controlled drugs for personal use, and the failure to report these activities to the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern […]
5 September 2025
Cocaine Use and Fitness to Practise: Pharmacist Suspended Again in Second Review Hearing
Allegations This case concerns a pharmacist who attended work as a Responsible Pharmacist while under the influence of cocaine. The incident occurred on a Sunday when the registrant arrived 15 minutes late and reported feeling unwell due to having attended a party the previous night. Observations from colleagues—a Pharmacy Technician and a Pharmacy Advisor—described erratic […]
4 September 2025
Locum Pharmacist Suspended After Administering Shingles Vaccine to Child Under Wrong PGD at Well Pharmacy
Allegations In a disturbing and highly consequential case for pharmacy professionals, a pharmacist was found to have administered the wrong vaccine—a shingles vaccine (Zostavax) intended for older adults—to a 2-year-old child instead of the intended chickenpox vaccine (Varivax). The incident occurred while the registrant was working as a locum at Well Pharmacy in Plymouth. The […]
2 September 2025