Pharmacist Removed from Register for Fraudulent Refunds at Boots

Date of Decision: March 28, 2024

Registrant's Role: Pharmacist

Allegations:

Fraudulently obtained refunds from employer (Boots) amounting to £2,018.59
Acted dishonestly by falsely claiming refunds for high-value products
Misused employer's refund system and deceived a junior colleague

Outcome: Removal from the Register plus interim suspension

GPhC Standards Breached:

Standard 2 – Work in partnership with others
Standard 6 – Behave in a professional manner
Standard 9 – Demonstrate leadership

Case Summary

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Fitness to Practise Committee reviewed the case of a pharmacist store manager accused of fraudulent refunds at Boots, Whetstone, London. Suspicious refund transactions were identified through routine data checks, leading to an investigation.

📂 Allegations & Findings

The registrant processed fraudulent refunds between December 2021 – August 2022 for items they did not purchase.
A total of £2,018.59 was refunded onto the registrant’s personal card.
The registrant misled a junior colleague (Witness B) into processing a refund for a Braun razor.
Boots’ internal investigation confirmed these fraudulent transactions through CCTV footage, staff discount records, and refund logs.
During an internal interview on 25 August 2022, the registrant admitted to the misconduct citing financial difficulties.
No police action was taken as Boots opted for civil recovery proceedings, and the registrant repaid £3,010.79, including investigation costs.

📉 GPhC Determination on Impairment

The committee found that:

The dishonest conduct was premeditated, planned, and repeated over nine months.
The registrant abused their position of trust as a pharmacy manager.
There was a risk of repetition, as the registrant failed to fully explain the triggers for their actions.
The impact on public confidence in the pharmacy profession was severe.

⚖️ Sanction: Removal from Register

The committee ruled that removal from the register was the only proportionate outcome given the seriousness of the misconduct. A warning or suspension was considered inadequate, as dishonesty in pharmacy practice severely undermines public trust.

📌 Learning Points for Pharmacists

Uphold honesty and integrity in all professional dealings, as dishonesty can result in permanent removal from the register.
Financial difficulties do not justify misconduct – seek professional financial advice rather than compromising ethical standards.
Abusing trust in a managerial role has serious repercussions, especially when involving colleagues in dishonest actions.
The GPhC takes fraud seriously – even if it does not involve patient care, dishonesty can lead to permanent removal.

Original Case Document

The full determination transcript is available to logged in users.