Regulation

GP pharmacist warned after prescribing when ‘medically unfit to work’

GP pharmacist warned after prescribing when ‘medically unfit to work’

 
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A GP pharmacist and independent prescriber has been slapped with a warning after providing prescriptions to family and friends while being signed off as “medically unfit to work”.

Wegovy: Pharmacists urged to report ‘misuse’ amid 46 hospitalisations
breaking news

Wegovy: Pharmacists urged to report ‘misuse’ amid 46 hospitalisations

 
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The medicines watchdog has revealed that almost 50 patients have been hospitalised “in association with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs)”.

Superintendent’s FtP restored after ‘home brew’ drunk delivery van crash

Superintendent’s FtP restored after ‘home brew’ drunk delivery van crash

 
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The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has found that the fitness to practise (FtP) of a pharmacist who “crashed” her company Citroen Berlingo van after drinking “six large drinks of her husband’s home brew” is “no longer impaired”.


‘Watch this space’: GPhC to ‘review and refresh’ inspections approach

‘Watch this space’: GPhC to ‘review and refresh’ inspections approach

 
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The pharmacy regulator is set to change up its “three-pronged” pharmacy inspection approach, it has announced.

NHSE ‘planning implementation’ of pharmacy technician PGD use at ‘national level’

NHSE ‘planning implementation’ of pharmacy technician PGD use at ‘national level’

 
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NHS England’s (NHSE) chief pharmacist has revealed that he was “really delighted” to see the government legislation allowing pharmacy technicians to supply drugs under PGDs.

CQC to ‘pick up’ regulation of pharmacists prescribing from home

CQC to ‘pick up’ regulation of pharmacists prescribing from home

 
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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is set to fill the “legal loophole” that currently leaves pharmacist-owned-businesses that are run from unregistered premises completely unregulated, the pharmacy regulator has said.


GPhC: Pharmacies to ‘verify’ patient history before supplying hair loss drug

GPhC: Pharmacies to ‘verify’ patient history before supplying hair loss drug

 
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The pharmacy regulator has advised that pharmacy teams carry out a “robust” assessment before supplying finasteride – a hair-loss drug with psychiatric and sexual health risks.

NHSE proposes offering Mounjaro to nearly 250,000 people over three years

NHSE proposes offering Mounjaro to nearly 250,000 people over three years

 
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NICE has opened a consultation on the possible mass rollout of tirzepatide to millions of people in England over the next decade.

PDA chair calls on pharmacists to support doctors in scope-creep battle

PDA chair calls on pharmacists to support doctors in scope-creep battle

 
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PDA chair Mark Koziol has encouraged pharmacists to contribute to a doctor group’s legal war chest as they challenge their regulator on scope creep from MAPs.


Promised hub-and-spoke legislation delayed indefinitely

Promised hub-and-spoke legislation delayed indefinitely

 
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The new government is “not in a position” to implement promised intercompany hub-and-spoke changes in January, the pharmacy negotiator has announced.

'Somewhat behind': NHSE reveals plans to add patient safety to pharmacy CPD

'Somewhat behind': NHSE reveals plans to add patient safety to pharmacy CPD

 
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NHS England (NHSE) has revealed plans to add extra patient safety training to pharmacy continued professional development (CPD) requirements.  

‘Sniffer dog’: Pharmacy technician who took cocaine ‘every morning’ suspended

‘Sniffer dog’: Pharmacy technician who took cocaine ‘every morning’ suspended

 
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A “brazen” pharmacy technician has been suspended after telling his workplace that he was late to work because he had “used a line of cocaine”. 


GPhC fails FtP timeliness evaluation again as performance ‘deteriorates’

GPhC fails FtP timeliness evaluation again as performance ‘deteriorates’

 
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The time taken by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to resolve FtP cases “deteriorated” in 2023/24, the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has found in its performance review of the regulator.

Seven pharmacists removed from register for ‘non-payment of fees’

Seven pharmacists removed from register for ‘non-payment of fees’

 
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Some seven pharmacists have been removed from the Northern Irish pharmacy register at once, it has revealed. 

PSNI fails to hire new chief executive amid concerns

PSNI fails to hire new chief executive amid concerns

 
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Northern Ireland’s pharmacy regulator has been “unable” to hire a new chief executive, it has revealed.


Make superintendents ‘responsible’ for stricter Wegovy safeguards, says GPhC

Make superintendents ‘responsible’ for stricter Wegovy safeguards, says GPhC

 
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“Not following” the pharmacy regulator’s proposed new guidance on weight loss drugs and online pharmacy prescribing could result in fitness-to-practise (FtP) investigations into “all the pharmacy professionals involved”, it has warned.  

Pharmacist empties Tesco of Ozempic for own private weight loss patients

Pharmacist empties Tesco of Ozempic for own private weight loss patients

 
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Amardip Virdi bought the “entire stock” of Ozempic at a pharmacy where he was working during a national shortage to supply it to private weight loss customers, the GPhC’s investigating committee has found.

Woman jailed for ‘catfishing’ as male pharmacist in stalking campaign

Woman jailed for ‘catfishing’ as male pharmacist in stalking campaign

 
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A woman has been imprisoned after conducting a “sophisticated” stalking campaign in which she “pretended to be a male pharmacist” to deceive her victim.


GPhC’s FtP red status improves to amber level after target reset

GPhC’s FtP red status improves to amber level after target reset

 
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The GPhC has rated its fitness-to-practice performance as “amber” as it hits “reset” on its open cases objective for the year.

Appeal court reinstates mammoth hydrocortisone cartel fines

Appeal court reinstates mammoth hydrocortisone cartel fines

 
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The Court of Appeal has reinstated mammoth fines imposed against manufacturers that had been set aside on procedural grounds earlier this year.