The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published a new strategy pledging to deliver equality, improve diversity and foster inclusion in all aspects of its work.
The strategy was updated after a public consultation held between April and July. It's key themes are:
- To make regulatory decisions that are demonstrably fair, lawful, and free from discrimination and bias.
- To use our standards to proactively help tackle discrimination and to make sure everyone can access person-centred care, fostering equality of health outcomes.
- To lead by example and demonstrate best practice within our organisation, holding ourselves to the same high standards we expect of others.
GPhC chair Nigel Clarke said having a strategy is vital as the pandemic has exposed “the scope and scale of inequities in society, in healthcare outcomes and in pharmacy.”
“Inequality and exclusion are bad for people’s health. Therefore, this strategy is fundamental to our core purpose as a regulator and our vision for safe and effective pharmacy care at the heart of healthier communities.”
GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin said: “Our obligation and opportunity to use all the regulatory levers and influence at our disposal to support, encourage and where necessary to drive positive change in pharmacy is set out clearly and comprehensively in our strategy.
Cat Smith, Labour MP for Lancaster and Wyre