Important: if you have not received medicine which you need urgently, please call NHS Direct on 111, as we’re not able to resolve urgent medical issues.
How to report a concern or make a complaint about a pharmacist, pharmacy technician, or a pharmacy
Our role as a regulator
The GPhC is a statutory regulator with specific powers and responsibilities. Our role is to protect patients and the public and ensure that they will receive safe and effective care when using pharmacy services.
We investigate concerns about individual pharmacists and pharmacy technicians where there may be a risk to patient safety or the public confidence in pharmacy could be affected.
We are not a general pharmacy complaints body, and our role is not to resolve disputes - even when those disputes relate to pharmacy professionals or pharmacies.
Many of the concerns we receive are closed at our triage stage as they are more appropriately addressed by another route or organisation.
Look through the options below to find the best way to resolve your issue.
I have a complaint about:
- poor customer service – including pharmacy opening times or waiting times, delivery issues or arranging refunds or compensation
- medicines being out of stock
- other unregistered staff who work in the pharmacy
- misleading advertising about medicines, services or devices
I have a concern about a pharmacist, pharmacy technician or a pharmacy in relation to:
- serious unprofessional or inappropriate behaviour, for example: abusive or threatening behaviour, dishonesty or fraud, working under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or frequent dispensing errors such as regularly being given the wrong medicine
- criminal convictions or cautions, or conduct that may be subject to a criminal investigation
- poor health that is impacting on their ability to practice safely
We assess concerns in line with our acceptance criteria- you can also read the criteria in Welsh
I need to raise a safeguarding concern
Safeguarding means protecting people from harm, abuse and neglect. Use our online form to raise a concern.
Important: if you are worried about the immediate safety of someone at risk, please contact us
I have a concern about a trainee, or education and training
Are you an employer or involved in training, and have a concern about a trainee pharmacist or pharmacy technician?
Are you a trainee pharmacist or pharmacy technician with concerns about your training?
I want to make a whistleblowing disclosure
Whistleblowing, or 'speaking up' as it is also called, is where a worker or employee, former employee, trainee, or agency worker raises a concern about wrongdoing in the public interest.
Please read the information about whistleblowing to help you decide about making a disclosure.
I’m a pharmacy professional involved in a concern
Have you had a concern raised about you?
Have you raised a concern about a pharmacy, or another pharmacist or pharmacy technician?
I’m a member of the public involved in a case which has been referred to the investigating or FtP committee
Do you have any questions about the process, or what you may be asked to do?
Hearings
We facilitate hearings in person or remotely. See the upcoming and past hearings list and read any determinations available.