Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy ...

1 Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance , including on the internet Updated March 2022. The text of this document (but not the logo and branding) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, as long as it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. This material must be acknowledged as General Pharmaceutical Council copyright and the document title specified. If we have quoted third party material, you must get permission from the copyright holder. Contact us at if you would like a copy of the document in another format (for example, in larger type or in a different language). General Pharmaceutical Council 2022. Contents About this Guidance .. 4. Introduction .. 7. Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance , including on the internet.

2 8. Principle 1 ..8. Principle 2 .. 12. Principle 3 .. 13. Principle 4 .. 16. Principle 5 .. 22. Other useful sources of information .. 23. March 2022. About this Guidance This Guidance explains what The General Pharmaceutical pharmacy owners should consider Council (GPhC) is the before deciding whether any parts of regulator for pharmacists, their pharmacy service can be provided safely and effectively at a pharmacy technicians and distance (including on the internet), registered pharmacies in rather than in the traditional face-to- England, Scotland and face way. Wales. As part of our role, As the pharmacy owner, you are responsible for making sure this Guidance is followed. Everyone we set the standards that in the pharmacy team, including managers with pharmacy professionals delegated responsibility and the responsible pharmacist, should understand the Guidance have to meet throughout and be aware of their responsibilities to follow it.

3 If the registered pharmacy is owned by a their careers. body corporate' (for example a company or an NHS organisation) you should make sure the superintendent pharmacist understands it should be followed. You should read this Guidance alongside the standards for registered pharmacies , which pharmacy owners must meet, our inspection decision making framework, and the standards for pharmacy professionals, and supporting Guidance . The standards for registered pharmacies are designed to create and maintain the right environment, both organisational and physical, for the safe and effective practice of pharmacy . 4 Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance , including on the internet The standards for pharmacy professionals registered pharmacies .

4 This could result in our describe how safe and effective care is delivered taking enforcement action. through person-centred' professionalism. The In this document, when we use the term staff'. Guidance which supports the standards will help this includes: pharmacy professionals apply our standards and meet their professional obligations. employees (registrants and non-registrants). The standards are essential in making sure that agency and contract workers, and patients and the public receive safe and any third party who helps the pharmacy effective care and you should consider them provide any part of the pharmacy service, before deciding whether any parts of your and deals on behalf of the pharmacy owner pharmacy service can be provided safely and with people who use pharmacy services effectively at a distance (including on the In this document, the term you' means the internet).

5 Therefore, you must be familiar with pharmacy owner. those standards, as well as the Guidance we In some limited circumstances (for example have published on our website. following death or bankruptcy), a representative pharmacy owners must also make sure they may take the role of the pharmacy owner. In keep to all the laws that apply to pharmacies . these cases, the representative will be This includes the law on supplying and responsible for making sure these standards advertising medicines, new consumer are met. information for online sales, and data Examples of the pharmacy services covered by protection. this Guidance include: Following this Guidance is an important part of 1. a pharmacy service where prescriptions making sure you meet our standards for are not handed in by people using registered pharmacies .

6 These are grouped pharmacy services but are collected by under five principles, which we refer to pharmacy staff, or received by post or throughout this Guidance . We therefore expect electronically this Guidance to be followed. 2. a delivery service from the registered Not following this Guidance , or not taking the pharmacy to people in their own home, a appropriate steps to achieve a desired outcome care home or a nursing home under our standards, could mean that you fail to meet one or more of the standards for Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance , 5. including on the internet March 2022. 3. a collection and delivery service'. This Types of pharmacy services includes the use of prescription collection units (PCUs): for example automated Collection and delivery service, including the prescription collection machines and use of prescription collection units (PCUs).

7 Lockers A collection and delivery service is defined in 4. a click and collect' service Regulation 248 of the Human Medicines 5. a mail-order service from a registered Regulations 2012. PCUs' usually means a pharmacy type of service where a customer can get their dispensed medicines from a collection 6. an internet pharmacy service, including point such as an automated prescription one linked to an online prescribing service, collection machine or locker. whether or not the prescribing service is owned and operated by you or by a third- Click and collect party business This is usually a service where a customer 7. a hub and spoke' pharmacy service can buy or order goods from a pharmacy 's where medicines are prepared, website and then collect them from one of assembled, dispensed and labelled for their branches.

8 Individuals against prescriptions at a Hub and spoke central hub' registered pharmacy The dispensed medicines are supplied by the hub' to spokes' or delivered direct to people in their homes or to care homes. The spokes' may be other registered pharmacies ; or non- registered premises, where people drop off their prescriptions and from where they collect their dispensed medicines. 6 Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance , including on the internet Introduction Because of changes in society and advances in laws that apply. Countries have different technology, different ways of providing restrictions, and some do not allow the online pharmacy services are becoming more supply of medicines at all. It is your common. pharmacy services will continue to responsibility to make sure the medicine you adapt and change, bringing opportunities to supply has the marketing authorisation needed deliver pharmacy and other healthcare services for it in the country of destination1.

9 In new ways. We support and encourage If you sell or supply medicines for animal use, responsible innovation as long as people using the parts of the law that apply and the these services receive safe , effective and exemptions that allow this are covered person-centred care. elsewhere2. The Veterinary Medicines But providing pharmacy services at a distance , Directorate (VMD) licenses and approves especially online, carries particular risks which animal medicines and issues Guidance on need to be managed. We want this Guidance to supplying medicines for animals. The VMD also support appropriate provision of medicines, operates a voluntary accredited internet medical devices and pharmaceutical care, which retailer scheme (AIRS) for online retailers of keeps to the law and meets our standards.

10 Veterinary medicinal products. The aim of the scheme is to provide assurance to the public The same laws apply whether you provide that they are buying veterinary medicinal pharmacy services in a traditional face-to-face products from a reputable UK-based retailer. way, at a distance , or on the internet. For example: if you offer a delivery service, the The NHS Regulations that allow distance -selling handover to the delivery agent of a pharmacy pharmacies to open and operate in England3, (P) or prescription-only medicine (POM) must Scotland4 and Wales5 are not the same. For take place at a registered pharmacy under the more information on how to run a distance - supervision of a pharmacist. selling pharmacy in the area you intend to operate in, please get independent legal advice.