GPhC urges pharmacies to tighten safeguards in weight‑management services

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has issued a new review calling for stronger governance, clearer clinical safeguards and greater transparency in the fast‑growing market for weight‑management medicines.

The themed review, Weight management medicines and services: A review of GPhC inspections and concerns, analyses pharmacy inspection reports and concerns raised between January 2024 and December 2025. It focuses on the rapid expansion of weight‑management services across Great Britain, including the supply of GLP‑1 receptor agonists.

The regulator says the review is intended to support improvement across the sector by clarifying expectations, sharing learning from inspections and highlighting examples of good practice in prescribing and supplying weight‑management medicines.

Key findings

While many pharmacies were found to be delivering safe and appropriate services, the GPhC identified recurring weaknesses, including:

• inconsistent or incomplete risk assessments and clinical governance
• insufficient documentation of patient consultations
• unreliable or unverified weight and BMI measurements
• limited communication with patients
• inadequate arrangements for ongoing clinical follow‑up and support

Recommended actions

The review sets out targeted steps for pharmacy owners, teams and prescribers to strengthen practice, including:

• regularly reviewed risk assessments and standard operating procedures
• robust clinical governance and due diligence when working with third‑party prescribers
• independent verification of weight and height in line with GPhC guidance
• individualised assessments of clinical suitability, with attention to vulnerable groups such as people with eating disorders
• thorough documentation of all consultations and decisions
• clear communication and accessible ongoing support for patients

The GPhC emphasises that appropriate follow‑up and safe, secure supply and delivery of medicines are essential to ensuring weight‑management treatments are provided safely and consistently.

As the regulator for pharmacies, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, the GPhC says it will continue to check compliance with its standards and take enforcement action where necessary to protect patients and the public.

GPhC Chief Pharmacy Officer Roz Gittins said the review comes at a time of growing public interest in weight‑management medicines.

“Our review will help pharmacies and prescribers understand what is working well and where improvements are needed. Sharing learning from our inspections and concerns allows us to promote good practice and support continuous improvement across the sector,” she said.

“This is about more than compliance. By strengthening governance, enhancing clinical safeguards and improving transparency, pharmacy teams can ensure that the services they provide are safe, reliable and person‑centred.”

The review will be shared with regulators, government departments and professional bodies across Great Britain to support a shared understanding of the issues and encourage collaborative action.

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