The GPhC last week revealed that it is developing a new policy on its use of powers allowing it to “disqualify” contractors from owning pharmacies in the future.
It said that while it has opened a “small number” of disqualification cases since 2018, it has “reviewed” all open cases and will close a “limited number” because it is not “in the public interest to progress them”.
But it remained unclear how many cases this affected and which pharmacy owners they relate to.
Read more: GPhC to halt ‘limited number’ of pharmacy owner disqualifications
Now, C+D can exclusively reveal that almost half of open cases are set to be closed under the plans.
The GPhC last week (July 24) told C+D that it has not made disqualification findings in any cases since 2018, when its powers were extended.
But it confirmed that it currently has 11 open disqualification cases – and that it has identified five cases of disqualification against owners with no premises attached that it proposes to close on a public interest basis.
The regulator did not share any further information, telling C+D that it does not routinely publish details of open cases.
“Significant resource”
The GPhC previously set out that it had “identified a limited number of cases where, since the disqualification cases were opened, the pharmacy owners have removed all of their associated premises from the register”.
While this “does not prevent” the regulator from taking action against the individual, it decided that doing so would not be “a proportionate use of resources”, it added.
Read more: GPhC approves one-year 6% fee hike but pauses 2026 rise
This is because there is “no current risk to the public” and the hearings would require “significant resource” even though a disqualification finding would not lead to any premises being removed from the register, the GPhC said.
And it added that the information it holds on the pharmacy owners - including “the involvement of individual directors” - can be “taken account of” in its registration decisions and “support a refusal to allow these entities to register as pharmacy owners”.
The regulator said that it will “invite” its fitness-to-practise (FtP) committee to close these cases and “take steps” to bring them “to a resolution” while it develops a full disqualification policy.
Read more: GPhC to pilot ‘independent complaint handling service’
The GPhC revealed in 2021 that four professionals connected with online pharmacies had pending disqualification hearings.
It comes after the regulator announced earlier this month that it will increase registration fees by 6% in 2025 but “reflect further” before deciding on an increase for next year.
And it revealed that it will pilot an “independent complaint handling services” to divert “low level” registrant concerns to a “more appropriate service”.
