The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has launched a new draft ‘Equality Guidance’ for pharmacies to tackle discrimination and make sure that everyone can access safe and effective person-centred pharmacy care.
GPhC’s consultation is seeking views on “the structure and language of the guidance, if anything is missing and the impacts on patients and members of the public, pharmacy staff, pharmacy owners, and individuals or groups sharing any of the protected characteristics.”
The regulator said the draft guidance is designed to support pharmacy owners to:
- demonstrate that they are meeting our standards for registered pharmacies
- fulfil their legal and regulatory duties in relation to equality
- help protect the rights of individuals
- advance equal opportunities for staff, patients and the wider public
- help improve the experience and healthcare outcomes of patients and members of the public
The GPhC said everyone in the pharmacy team should be familiar with the guidance, including staff and managers with delegated responsibility. It has included best practice examples and case studies to help illustrate how the guidance can be used in practice.
GPhC chief Executive Duncan Rudkin said: “We are committed to delivering equality, improving diversity and fostering inclusion in everything we do as a regulator and employer.
“We welcome feedback on the draft guidance, which aims to help pharmacy owners understand and meet the standards for registered pharmacies and fulfil their legal and regulatory duties in relation to equality.”
The consultation will be open for eight weeks from 7 April 2022.
