The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is seeking views from the public and pharmacy professionals on its new proposed standards for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the UK.

The draft document outlines the nine core requirements that the regulator believes all pharmacy professionals must meet in order to deliver safe and effective patient care, and to uphold public trust and confidence in the pharmacy sector.

Developed with input from various stakeholders, these standards aim to promote professional decision-making among all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, regardless of their area of practice. In contrast to the previous standards, the revised document includes guidance on what to do when things go wrong, as well as a stronger emphasis on empathy and compassion.

According to the draft standards, all pharmacy professionals must:

1. Provide person-centred care
2. Work in partnership with others
3. Communicate effectively
4. Maintain, develop and use their professional knowledge and skills
5. Exercise professional judgement
6. Behave in a professional manner
7. Respect and maintain the person’s privacy and confidentiality
8. Speak up when they have concerns or when things go wrong
9. Demonstrate effective leadership.

Nigel Clarke, GPhC chair, said: “These standards are at the heart of what it means to be a pharmacy professional and set out what we believe pharmacy professionals need to do to help people to maintain and improve their health and wellbeing.”

To ensure that it is taking the right approach, the GPhC is urging members of the public, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide feedback by completing a consultation survey.

“People’s expectations of pharmacy professionals are growing, and changes occurring in health and social care across Great Britain mean that pharmacy professionals will continue to take on new and greater roles in providing care,” said Duncan Rudkin, GPhC chief executive. “This is why it is so important that we hear from as many people as possible through our consultation, to make sure we have got the right standards for today and for the future.”

Respondents can complete the survey online or provide their answers via email or post. The consultation period will run for 12 weeks, finishing on 27 June.