Dept of Health Clarification Sought on Personal Control, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 25 Oct 2004 - 0:00 PDT


The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain held a meeting with the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England on Wednesday 13 October to discuss concerns around the issue of personal control.

The meeting follows concerns raised by pharmacists about the issue which were discussed at the Society's October Council meeting.

The Society believes that an anomaly in the Medicines Act currently allows the sale of GSL medicines from general retail establishments, while restricting sales of GSL medicines from a registered pharmacy in the temporary absence of a pharmacist.

The Department of Health is considering whether changes in the law are necessary. In the meantime members are advised that the Society has no option but to enforce the law and therefore all provisions of the Medicines Act 1968 must be complied with.

Ends

For further information please contact Natalie Sticklen or Felicity Slayford in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain's Public Relations Unit 020 7572 2335/6

Notes to editors

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is the professional and regulatory body for pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales.

The primary objective of the Society is to lead, regulate and develop the pharmacy profession.

The Society has responsibility for a wide range of functions that combine to assure competence and fitness to practise. These include controlled entry into the profession, education, registration, setting and enforcing professional standards, promoting good practice, providing support for improvement, dealing with poor performance, dealing with misconduct and removal from the register.

In addition, the Society leads and supports the development of the profession in the public interest and promotes the profession's policies and views to a range of external stakeholders in a number of different forums.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN
Tel: 020 7572 2335
Fax: 020 7572 2503
http://www.rpsgb.org.uk

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