The PDA undertook a survey of its members to inform a response to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) consultation. The survey received over 3,800 responses from PDA members and these are at the heart of the PDA’s response.
The GPhC says in a consultation, undertaken between 16 May 2023 and 8 August 2023, that it needs to increase fees to cover its costs and that unless fees are raised it would be forced to reduce its regulatory work. Appendix 1 in the consultation also states that the GPhC will allocate revenues generated from fees in a way that enables it to meet its statutory purpose and regulatory functions.
The proposed 7.5% increase in fees by the GPhC would result in:
- Pharmacist renewal fees increasing by £19 from £257 to £276
- Pharmacy technician renewal fees increasing by £9 from £121 to £130
- Pharmacy premises renewal fees increasing by £27 from £365 to £392.
The key items addressed in the PDA’s response, which considers the findings from the PDA member survey and learnings from other regulators, are:
- The high level of support for the introduction of a fee concession for pharmacists with lower incomes.
- The significant disquiet observed in the member survey responses around the GPhC premises in Canary Wharf and the missed opportunity for relocation to less expensive office accommodation elsewhere. It was noted that the GPhC omitted to state in the consultation document that it is committed to spending around £9.3m of cash in purchasing fixed assets within 24 months including the purchase of fixtures and fittings for its new offices in Canary Wharf.
- A general concern around a lack of transparency, including the GPhC’s failure to meet the PDA’s Freedom of Information request regarding how fee rates are set.
- The opacity of the GPhC budgets.
- Questions over the cost of regulating premises, in light of the increase in cases relating to online pharmacies and the reduction in the number of bricks and mortar pharmacies.
- That the GPhC must address its repeated failure to publish an equality impact assessment as required under the 2010 Equalities Act.
Read the full PDA’s full response below
Read the GPhC Consultation document below
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