Pharmacy bodies have opposed plans from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to pay for the regulation of controlled drugs (CD) with a hike in premises fees. Both the NPA and PDA have hit out against the planned £45-a-year increase in premises fees, outlined in the GPhC fees rules consultation.

According to the GPhC, the rise would generate around £545,000 to fund CD monitoring and inspections, ensuring future regulation would be independent of the government. However, the PDA slammed the move, insisting pharmacists should not bear the cost of CD monitoring. “Inspection and monitoring of controlled drugs distracts inspectors from their prime purpose in visiting pharmacies – that of ensuring that standards are adequate,” the PDA said in its response to the consultation.The NPA called on the GPhC to keep premises fees at current levels and review CD regulations, including the recommendation to keeping running totals of CD stock. “Implementing the CD regulations with regard to running totals is time-consuming and costly both for pharmacists and the inspectorate,” the NPA response argued.Keeping a running balance of CDs is not a legal requirement, but is considered good practice and is anticipated to be a legal requirement when electronic CD registers enter common use.