The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the education and training model for internationally qualified pharmacists who want to register in Great Britain.
The regulator said the consultation, launched today, seeks views on proposals to replace the current two-year route - which consists of a postgraduate diploma and a foundation training year - with a “more streamlined, integrated one-year programme of academic learning and learning in practice”.
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“This will enable internationally qualified pharmacists to apply to sit the Common Registration Assessment sooner, supporting quicker progression to becoming registered in Great Britain,” it added.
And it said this proposed new route “would sit alongside the existing registration arrangements” for pharmacists who have qualified in the European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association countries and Switzerland, and for those who qualify in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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The consultation also seeks views on other proposals, including:
- embedding independent prescribing into the programme, so that internationally qualified pharmacists can join the register as independent prescribers
- enabling relevant prior learning and professional experience to be recognised, where appropriate
- setting updated learning outcomes and requirements for education and training providers
- continuing to require all applicants to pass the Common Registration Assessment
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The GPhC said the proposed changes recognise that “applicants are already qualified pharmacists” and focus training “on applying their skills safely and effectively in practice in Great Britain, rather than duplicating learning unnecessarily”.
“The proposals are intended to be proportionate, flexible and aligned with modern pharmacy practice, while maintaining the GPhC’s focus on patient safety and public protection,” it added.
The consultation will close on July 21, 2026.
“The right balance”
GPhC chief executive Kathie Cashell said the regulator believes the proposals “strike the right balance between recognising existing skills and knowledge, and making sure internationally qualified pharmacists are fully prepared for practice in Great Britain”.
“By streamlining the route and embedding the right training, we can help internationally qualified pharmacists be ready to sit the Common Registration Assessment and join the register sooner, with all the capabilities they need to deliver high-quality patient care from day one,” she added.
“We encourage pharmacists and the wider pharmacy sector, education providers, employers and the public to take part in the consultation and share their views.”
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It comes after a new review by the GPhC set out “targeted actions for improvement” for pharmacies providing weight loss drugs.
The regulator said the review, published last week, highlights the need for “stronger governance, enhanced clinical safeguards and greater transparency” in the supply of weight loss medicines and services.
