Chief Pharmacy Officer raises urgent concerns over emerging patient safety risks

Pharmacy professionals across the UK have been urged to take immediate action following a communication from the General Pharmaceutical Council’s Chief Pharmacy Officer, Roz Gittins, highlighting a series of emerging patient safety concerns. The email, sent to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy owners, outlines specific issues that have recently prompted regulatory scrutiny and public complaints.

Gittins calls on all pharmacy staff to carefully review the information and consider what steps they should take to ensure the delivery of safe and effective care. The message underscores the shared responsibility of the pharmacy sector in maintaining public trust and safeguarding patient wellbeing.

Among the key concerns raised are instances of medicine diversion by staff, which pose serious risks to both patient safety and professional integrity. The email also stresses the importance of verifying patient addresses when supplying medicines remotely, a growing area of practice that requires robust safeguards to prevent errors and misuse.

Further guidance is provided on the legal and ethical implications of supplying medicines overseas, with Gittins reminding professionals of the need to comply with UK regulations and ensure continuity of care. The email also addresses inappropriate advertising and promotion of medicines, urging pharmacy teams to avoid misleading claims and to adhere strictly to regulatory standards.

Issues surrounding methadone supply are also highlighted, particularly the omission of patient information leaflets (PILs), which are essential for informed use and risk mitigation. In addition, the Chief Pharmacy Officer draws attention to the importance of Yellow Card reporting for GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of medicines increasingly used for weight management and diabetes treatment. Accurate and timely reporting of adverse effects is vital to monitoring safety and guiding future regulatory decisions.

The full email from Roz Gittins is available to read online and provides detailed advice on each of the highlighted areas. Pharmacy professionals are encouraged to reflect on their current practices and make any necessary adjustments to uphold the highest standards of patient care.

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