Since October, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has issued nine enforcement notices, which can include an “improvement notice” or a set of conditions that pharmacies have to meet before they are able to resume their normal dispensing activity.

This brings the total number of enforcement notices served from August-November to 12, after the GPhC restricted the services of an initial three online pharmacies in September. All of the enforcement notices the regulator has implemented in this time period have been for online pharmacies, it told C+D today (November 12).

Some of the inspection reports for these pharmacies are not finalised yet, the regulator said, but the enforcement notices are available to read on the GPhC’s inspection website.

For example, Halliwell Midnight Pharmacy in Lancashire – the trading name of the website prescriptiondoctor.com – must meet a number of conditions by November 14, including ensuring “that the prescriber you work with is working within UK national prescribing guidelines and good practice guidance” and that “the pharmacy effectively monitors and reviews all prescriptions to prevent over-ordering or misuse”, according to the GPhC improvement notice.

Conditions on controlled drug supply 

The most recent eight enforcement actions that place conditions on the pharmacies’ dispensing practice all restrict them from supplying controlled drugs from schedule 1 to 5.

However, three of these businesses – Aktivepharmacy, which also trades as PillDoctor, in Romford, Nationwide Pharmacies in Buckinghamshire, and Ritecare Pharmacy in Merseyside – are allowed to supply controlled drugs “against a legally valid NHS prescription”.

UK Meds Direct in Nottingham must not supply modafinil, while Homecare Pharmacy in West Midlands cannot dispense either modafinil or amitriptyline, the GPhC said.

FCL Chemist in Derbyshire was served two enforcement notices: it cannot supply modafinil tablets; and must prove to the GPhC that the pharmacy and prescriber have appropriate indemnity insurance in place by November 8.

Two of Instant E-Care's premises – both in Cardiff – have been instructed not to supply modafinil tablets, antidepressants, oral antibacterial drugs, or salbutamol inhalers.

Protecting patients online

In September, the regulator announced it had restricted three online pharmacies from dispensing high-risk medicines, after identifying “serious patient safety concerns”.

The GPhC previously said it is working with different organisations involved in regulating online pharmacies and other digital health services to improve the quality of care for patients online.