Chair of the APPG on Pharmacy, Steve Race MP, hosted the Parliamentary event, where Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care, addressed attendees on the role of pharmacy in helping the health and social care system deliver high-quality care.
The Chair and Chief Executive of the GPhC introduced the GPhC’s new strategy for the next 5 years at the event, and led discussions on how the GPhC can work collaboratively with other organisations to empower pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to care for their patients and the public as integrated members of the health and care professional workforce.
The new strategic plan sets out how the GPhC will uphold safety, quality and public trust in pharmacy, and build on the progress that has already been made, by focusing on three strategic aims:
- empowering pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide trusted, safe and effective pharmacy care
- protecting those using pharmacy services by working collaboratively with healthcare regulators and other organisations; and
- building a skilled, agile and inclusive organisation to carry out our regulatory responsibilities.
Gisela Abbam, Chair of the GPhC, said:
“Our new strategic plan delineates a clear path forward for the next five years to help us achieve our vision of safe and effective pharmacy care at the heart of healthier communities.
“The way care is delivered and the role of the pharmacy professions are both evolving rapidly. This includes pharmacists taking on expanded roles in prescribing medicines, with all newly-qualified pharmacists joining the register as independent prescribers from next year. These advancements present significant opportunities but also bring new challenges in maintaining safety, quality, and public trust. The role of the GPhC is crucial in ensuring that regulation keeps pace with these changes, providing a clear framework that empowers pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and safeguards patient care and public confidence.
“Greater collaboration with healthcare regulators and other organisations across pharmacy and healthcare is one of the central themes of this strategy. We are committed to working across the healthcare system to improve health outcomes for everyone. We know that our ability to achieve our ambitious aims will be greatly enhanced by working closely with governments across Great Britain, other regulators, pharmacy leadership bodies, representative and trade bodies, the people we regulate, and patients and the public.”
Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive of the GPhC, said:
“This strategic plan sets out an honest appraisal of where we are now, where we want to be, and how we’ll know if we have got there. And we will shortly publish our delivery plan, which sets out in more detail the programmes of work we will deliver in order to achieve the strategic aims and outcomes set out in this plan.
“At the heart of this strategy lies an unwavering commitment to the safety and wellbeing of the people of Great Britain. By empowering the pharmacy professions to deliver trusted, effective and inclusive care, we aim to build a future where pharmacy services continue to inspire confidence, protect the public, and advance healthcare for all.”
Steve Race MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for pharmacy, said:
“Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies already provide vital services in the heart of their communities. Their role is expected to significantly increase in the future, as more care is moved from hospitals into communities.
“I welcome the focus in the GPhC’s new strategy on empowering pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and prioritising patient and public safety, at a time of significant change across pharmacy, health and social care. As Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for pharmacy, I look forward to working closely with the GPhC and with all organisations across health and social care, to support and enable pharmacy to play its part in improving care for everyone.”
Leaders and representatives from organisations across healthcare and pharmacy have responded to the publication of the GPhC’s new strategic plan.
David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer at NHS England, said:
“Pharmacies have played a crucial role in expanding access to NHS care, with the introduction of initiatives like the Pharmacy Contraception service, and our Pharmacy First service, which is helping bring care closer to millions of people up and down the country.
“As we continue to reform services and build a health service fit for the future, we welcome this new strategic plan which will support and empower the expanding roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide safe, effective and trusted care at the heart of their communities.”
Professor Margaret Ikpoh, Vice Chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), said:
“Community pharmacy, like general practice, is under considerable pressure, so a strategic plan for pharmacy that prioritises collaboration in the best interests of patient care is encouraging to see. Our colleagues in community pharmacy provide a vital service and have long worked closely with GPs and other primary care professionals to ensure patients receive safe, timely and appropriate care.
“Just like GPs, community pharmacists will be integral to the success of the forthcoming NHS Ten-Year Health Plan which we know will aim to move more care into the community where patients want to receive it, and where care is most cost-effective. This is why it’s vital that both professions receive the support and resourcing they need to deliver this and guarantee safe, quality care for patients.”
Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England, said:
“Pharmacy services are widely used, and we know how much people value their local pharmacy teams.
“So it is very welcome that this strategy is focused on the needs of patients and the public, to ensure teams will work in partnership to protect people and minimise the issues they can face.
“This strategy is particularly important as pharmacies play an increasing role as a first port of call for the public via Pharmacy First and other consultations, using the expertise of pharmacy staff and reducing burdens on GP practices.”
Paul Bennett, Chief Executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), said:
"The GPhC’s new strategic plan comes at an important moment for pharmacy across Great Britain.
“We are pleased to see trust, safety, and inclusion at the heart of regulation, and the ambition for this strategy to empower pharmacy professionals to thrive in an evolving healthcare landscape. We welcome the GPhC’s clear commitment to collaboration, innovation and fairness, principles that align closely with our own vision for the future. By working collaboratively, and taking a continuous improvement approach to professional leadership, we can ensure that pharmacy delivers outstanding care, improves patient outcomes and remains the cornerstone of our health system."
Nicola Stockmann, President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) said:
“The GPhC’s 2025-30 strategy recognises the expansion of scope of practice for pharmacy technicians and the whole pharmacy team. The acknowledgment for the need for agility within this strategy demonstrates that the evolving of roles can be safe, supported and is inevitable. It signals a clear vote of confidence from the regulator in the common purpose and potential of pharmacy, as part of the healthcare landscape for the patients and public.”
Mark Koziol, Chairman of The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), said:
“The PDA recognises that effective regulation underpins both professional practice and patient safety and believes that when coupled with effective pharmacist representation and leadership, it is an essential component of the pharmacy eco-system.
“The ambitions of the GPhC’s new five-year strategy around empowering pharmacists to provide trusted, safe and effective care, to work more collaboratively with other organisations and healthcare regulators to support the protection of the public, and to build organisational capacity and capability are all areas which we support. As a pharmacist focused organisation with patient safety at its heart, we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the GPhC towards achieving these objectives on behalf of PDA members.”
Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) said:
“We welcome the release of the GPhC’s new strategic plan. We are pleased that the GPhC has set out a clear goal to enable the profession to continue its journey of development. We also welcome the recognition of opportunities for improvement and the need to work closely with other regulators in the evolving landscape of pharmacy.
“We are grateful to have had the opportunity to feed into this plan, which we hope will support the GPhC to uphold safety, quality, and public trust in pharmacy.”
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) said:
“Pharmacies are the lifeblood of our National Health Service and the frontline of healthcare in this country. Whilst the Government’s recent announcement of an additional £29 million is welcome, it is essential that we get greater clarity on how this funding will be allocated and what impact it will have on the pharmaceutical sector.
“There is so much more that pharmacies can do, if invested in, to ease pressure on the NHS and improve health outcomes across the board.
“The aims set out in this report are crucial. As we work to build an NHS that is fit for the future, we must focus on how pharmacies can offer greater support, in particular, focusing on greater provision of flu vaccinations, expansion of Pharmacy First Schemes and detection and support for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. By investing in this approach, we can protect patient wellbeing and save the NHS billions of pounds.
“This announcement is also a landmark moment for our regulator to be more inclusive, an integrated and agile organisation capable of carrying out these evolving regulatory responsibilities to the highest standard.”
Notes to Editors
There will be professional photographs taken at the parliamentary event that can be provided to press after the event.