Employee pharmacists and locums could be blamed for mismanagement in pharmacies they have no control over unless the profession speaks out on the responsible pharmacist debate.

Chris Morris, member of the Society's English Pharmacy Board (EPB), has urged pharmacists to contribute to the Department of Health's consultation or face "deeply worrying" changes.

In a mass email to members of the website Pharmacy Forum UK, he warned: "On reading the document I became very concerned. A lot of ideas are very good, but there are several... that are deeply worrying."

The consultation is considering proposals to replace the need for pharmacists to be in personal control of premises with a responsible pharmacist requirement.

However, Mr Morris stressed that under the proposals "employees could be held accountable for the conditions of the shop in which they work". He told C+D: "I'm worried about responsibility being given to pharmacists who have no say over their work area. Locums and pharmacists working for a lot of multiples don't have that say."

Mr Morris suggested that people email him so that he could form a group response to the consultation.

Mr Morris stressed that he is acting on his own behalf rather than for the EPB. A DH spokesperson said: "We want people to respond so we can get as informed a view of pharmacy as possible."