Pharmacist’s Fitness to Practise Impaired Due to Serious Criminal Convictions

In a recent determination by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Fitness to Practise Committee, a pharmacist was found to have impaired fitness to practise due to serious criminal convictions. The hearing, conducted via video link on March 11-12, 2021, addressed the pharmacist’s convictions for voyeurism and taking indecent images of a child. The pharmacist was not present or represented at the hearing.

Allegations:
The pharmacist faced allegations of voyeurism, having recorded individuals in private acts without their consent for sexual gratification on multiple occasions between July 2017 and October 2018. Additionally, the pharmacist was convicted of taking indecent images of a child in August 2018.

Findings:
The Committee found the allegations proven based on the convictions and the pharmacist’s guilty plea. The pharmacist admitted that their fitness to practise was impaired due to these convictions.

GPhC Determination on Impairment:
The Committee determined that the pharmacist’s actions breached GPhC Standard 6, which requires pharmacy professionals to behave professionally. The convictions were deemed to undermine public trust in the profession and demonstrated a lack of integrity.

Sanction:
Given the severity of the offences, the Committee decided that erasure from the register was the only appropriate sanction. The pharmacist’s actions were found to be fundamentally incompatible with continued registration as a pharmacy professional.

Learning Points for Pharmacy Professionals:
This case underscores the importance of maintaining professional behavior at all times, both in and out of the workplace. Pharmacy professionals must adhere to high moral standards to uphold public trust and confidence in the profession. The case also highlights the serious consequences of criminal behavior, including the potential for erasure from the professional register.