The guidance is designed to help pharmacies tackle discrimination and make sure that everyone can access safe and effective person-centred pharmacy care.
The consultation, launched in April 2022, is asking patients and the public, pharmacy professionals and pharmacy owners for their views.
The draft guidance is designed to support pharmacy owners in:
demonstrating that they are meeting our standards for registered pharmacies
meeting their legal and regulatory duties in relation to equality
helping protect the rights of individuals
advancing equal opportunities for staff, patients and the wider public
helping improve the experience and healthcare outcomes of patients and members of the public
We published an EDI-focused article in the July issue of our online bulletin, Regulate. Drawing from best practice recorded in our Knowledge Hub, the piece highlighted examples of ways in which pharmacies have:
provided person-centred care
supported a reduction in health inequalities, and
reflected the diverse needs of the communities they serve
Topics included:
serving ethnically diverse populations during the COVID-19 pandemic
working with local leaders to increase take-up of vaccination services, and
making adjustments to pharmacy practices to support patients with physical disabilities or sensory impairments
As part of our commitment to make regulatory decisions that are demonstrably free from discrimination and bias, we worked with the nationally recognised Antisemitism Policy Trust. The Trust delivered tailored training sessions on antisemitism for decision-makers – including statutory committee members and relevant GPhC staff.
The programme was developed to increase our knowledge and understanding of:
the Jewish community in the UK
what antisemitism is, and its scale and reach
how antisemitism manifests itself in today's society and how to identify this, and
how antisemitism appears online, and its impact and reach
We are a partner organisation for the Joint National Plan for Inclusive Pharmacy Practice. This is led by NHS England, NHS Improvement, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK.