changed to a requirement for a ‘reflective account’ only.

Full revalidation requirements for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are due to apply again from 1 October 2022. This follows the government's recent announcement that the emergency powers it put in place to help with the response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be removed later this year.

Since COVID-19 vaccinations became available, we have strongly reminded all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across Great Britain that they should get vaccinated as soon as they were able to.

The UK government announced on 31 January 2022 that it would not be requiring vaccination as a condition of deployment for health and care staff providing Care Quality Commission-regulated activities in England. The governments in Scotland and Wales have not said they plan to make vaccination a condition of deployment for health and care staff.

Following the Secretary of State's announcement, the GPhC again stated its position on COVID-19 vaccination for pharmacy professionals in Great Britain.

We issued a statement in February 2022 emphasising that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in all settings across Great Britain should be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they are medically exempt. We stated that getting vaccinated is an important way in which pharmacy professionals can support and maintain public health. Vaccination against COVID-19 protects the individual, their family and colleagues, as well as patients and the public. As professional and community leaders, pharmacy professionals also demonstrate leadership by encouraging other members of their team, as well as patients and the public, to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

and colleagues, as well as patients and the public. As professional and community leaders, pharmacy professionals also demonstrate leadership by encouraging other members of their team, as well as patients and the public, to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

When we investigate a concern about a pharmacist or pharmacy technician and decide there is evidence to show that their fitness to practise may be impaired, the case may need to be referred for a hearing before a committee.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we held some hearings remotely by video link. Following positive feedback from people taking part, we are aiming to make changes so that some hearings can be held remotely in the future.

We held a 12-week consultation which asked for feedback on a proposed permanent change to our procedural rules. This would give us the specific legal power to carry out hearings and meetings by teleconference or video link.

The consultation asked for views on the positive and negative impacts of remote hearings on patients and the public, pharmacy professionals, and individuals or groups sharing protected characteristics. We also asked for views on the advantages and disadvantages of holding remote hearings, and on any circumstances when a hearing should not be held remotely.

We are analysing the results of the consultation and these will be considered by our Council later this year. The Council will then make a decision about holding remote hearings in the future.