Black and Asian pharmacists remain over-represented in GPhC concerns

Black and Asian pharmacists continue to be disproportionately represented in concerns reported to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), with the latest figures reinforcing a pattern seen in previous years.

For 2025/26, Asian pharmacists accounted for 46% of concerns received, despite representing approximately 40% of the register. Black pharmacists accounted for 12% of concerns, compared with 8% of registered pharmacists. White pharmacists, meanwhile, represented approximately 38% of the register but 24% of concerns.

The disparity is not new. Similar patterns have emerged in previous reporting periods, raising questions about why certain ethnic groups are more likely to be the subject of regulatory concerns.

Crucially, over-representation in complaints does not, by itself, establish discriminatory regulatory treatment. The GPhC’s analysis found no overall statistical relationship between ethnicity and whether concerns were referred for further investigation. However, this does not explain the disparity at the point concerns are first raised.

Possible contributing factors include working environments, professional roles, reporting practices and the circumstances surrounding allegations. The GPhC has indicated that further analysis of five years of data will examine factors including role, setting, the nature of concerns and decisions made throughout the regulatory process.

The recurring pattern demands closer scrutiny. The central question is not simply whether Black and Asian pharmacists are over-represented in complaints, but why this is happening and whether any avoidable inequalities are contributing to it.

Until the underlying causes are properly understood, the figures remain a significant warning sign for the profession and its regulator.

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