GPhC to pilot independent complaint handling service as fitness to practise concerns surge

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is preparing to trial an independent complaint handling service in response to a significant rise in fitness to practise reports—up 13% in the past year and more than doubling over four years.

In papers published ahead of its 17 July 2025 council meeting, the regulator described the volume of concerns—nearly 7,000 in the latest reporting year—as “unsustainable” and disproportionate to its registrant base of fewer than 93,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Remarkably, it now receives more complaints per month than the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which regulates nearly nine times as many professionals.

The proposed pilot aims to divert low-level concerns to a separate complaint service better suited to resolving routine issues, without triggering full FtP investigations. The initiative forms part of a broader strategy that includes:

• Development of enforcement acceptance criteria to clarify which complaints warrant formal investigation
• Creation of an online guidance page with a self-help tool to direct concerns to the correct authority
• Redirection of resources toward serious regulatory matters, improving outcomes for registrants and the public

Commenting on the announcement, Royal Pharmaceutical Society President Claire Anderson said pharmacists widely view the current fitness to practise process as “slow and distressing,” adding that a fairer, more proportionate approach could better support learning while maintaining public trust and safety.

While the GPhC acknowledged that the pilot would require investment and may not yield immediate savings, it emphasised the long-term benefits for service quality and resource allocation.

The regulator has not met Professional Standards Authority benchmarks for fitness to practise timeliness for six consecutive years—a trend it hopes to reverse through systemic reform.

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