GPhC brands P med rules anachronistic in defence of self-selection

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has defended its plans to allow P medicines into open display areas, arguing there is no longer any place for strict rules on medicines supply.

The diverse nature of community pharmacy meant prescriptive regulation was "part of the past", GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin told C+D in an exclusive interview this week, but he stressed there was a wide range of views on the subject.

A C+D reader poll found that 11 per cent of respondents were for the move. The remaining 89 per cent of the 478 readers said they would like to see the proposals scrapped.

"There isn't really a sensible option of going back to prescriptive, rules-based regulation for registered pharmacies because that's really part of the past" Duncan Rudkin, GPhC

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Mr Rudkin acknowledged there were "sincerely held" objections, but told C+D there was a growing understanding of the GPhC's outcomes-focused approach. And nothing had caused the regulator to reconsider its decision, he added. "There isn't really a sensible option of going back to prescriptive, rules-based regulation for registered pharmacies because that's really part of the past," Mr Rudkin argued.

"How pharmacies in different sectors are going to achieve [patient-outcome] objectives is going to be slightly different, so sitting here thinking we know the best way for every conceivable pharmacy to safely supply medicines would be really quite wrong-headed," Mr Rudkin told C+D.

P medicines are due to be allowed into open display areas from next year, when the GPhC premises standards will fully come into force.

Mr Rudkin said explaining the GPhC's motives had proved helpful in recent meetings with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Pharmacists' Defence Association, which had both voiced strong opposition to the plans. But he stressed that the regulator was still open to conflicting views.

"Every time we discuss [P medicine self-selection], we have a better understanding of what the concerns are and hopefully therefore we're increasingly able to address those concerns," Mr Rudkin said. "So basically the approach is to keep talking about it and trying to understand each other's point of view."

Your Shout

Readers voiced conflicting views on P medicine self-selection on Twitter

@Louis_Purchase Self-selection cosmetics work wonderfully in pharmacies. Self-selection P meds – I don't think so

@MikeHewitson1 P category is stagnant. I'd welcome anything that would get it moving (except for 3 for 2!)

@jonathanmason In principle, I think there are ways in which self-selection could enhance both patient care and the pharmacist's role

@pillmanuk Agree with Jonathan. Handled correctly, [it] could improve pharmacy's role in self-care and public health

@jasonpeet So is the new world P self-selection and undercover GPhC visits to check we are doing it properly?