Professional Regulations Flashcards
What are the core functions of healthcare professional regulator? (5)
Setting and promoting standards for admissions.
Keeping a register for those who meet the standards.
Setting and promoting standards for remaining on the register and checking that they continue to meet those standards.
Dealing with cases where a person’s right to remain on the register has been questioned.
Ensuring high standards of education.
Maintain and promote code of ethics/standards.
Explain the role of the GPhC. (3)
Protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of members of the public by upholding standards and public trust in pharmacy.
Designed to support pharmacy staff.
Aims to work with pharmacy professionals to identify, address and learn from poor practice/behaviours.
What are the principal functions of the GPhC? (5)
Approving qualifications
Maintaining register.
Setting standards of conduct, ethics, proficiency, education, training and revalidation.
Establishing and promoting standards for safe and effective pharmacy practice at registered pharmacies.
Enforcing medicine legislations.
Who is the council of GPhC? (1)
Appointed by an Independent Appointments Commission
Explain the process of raising concerns about registrants and pharmacy premises. (1)
GPhC investigation is sought where registrant’s FTP is called to question.
Concerns include professional performance, conduct or health.
GPhC also deals with concerns involving registered pharmacy premises where where there are concerns about safe and effective pharmacy practice.
Concerns may come from public, pharmacy professional, other HCP, organisation, police or GPhC inspector.
How does GPhC define FTP? (3)
As person’s suitability to be on our register without restrictions.
A pharmacy professional is F2P when:
- They have the skills, knowledge, character and health to do their job safely and effectively.
- Acts professionally and meet principles of good practice set out in our various standards, guidance and advice.
A pharmacy professional may not be fit to practice such as:
- Behaviour may be putting px at risk.
- May be practising in an unsafe way.
- Health may be affected their ability to make safe judgements about their work and px.
Define impaired. (4)
Misconduct, deficient professional performance (includes incompetence), adverse physical/mental health which impairs on ability to practise safely and effectively. A conviction or caution in UK for a criminal offence.
When is FTP assessed? (5)
Joining register for the first time.
Annual renewal of registration.
In response to an allegation of impaired FTP.
If GPhC is made aware of information that calls into question a registrant’s FTP.
A registrant must notify the GPhC registration in writing within 7 days if they have convicted a criminal offence and accepts a caution.
Failure to give disclosure may be a misconduct.
Briefly outline GPhC managing concerns. (4)
Concern received and assessed
Initial enquiries and investigation
Investigation committee
FTP committee
What does the initial assessment guidelines consist of? (5)
After initial enquiries, an outcome will be decided upon:
- Open an investigation
- Take no further action
- Share intelligence with a GPhC inspector
- Issue informal guidance
- Agree a voluntary agreement with the registrant.
What cases does warrant for the registrar to be referred to the Investigating committee? (3)
Conduct or performance
Health
And it is the public interest to refer
What action can be taken during the investigations and threshold criteria guidance? (5)
Close the case and take no further action.
Issue informal guidance to the registrant.
Refer the case to the Investigating Committee.
Require the registrant to the health assessment.
Apply for an interim order
Define interim order. (2)
Urgent action taken by the GPhC which can suspend a registrant from practicing or can restrict their practice.
An IO can be placed for any time up to 18 months and reviewed every 6 months.
What is the investigating committee? (1)
Screening committee.
What actions may the investigating committee decide to do? (7)
Issue a warning
Issue advice
Dismiss case
Undergo a medical examination
Agree undertakings
Refer to FTP
Initiate criminal proceedings
Explain the role of the F2P committee. (1)
Hearing is to be held in public except for a cause involving a health allegation or IO hearing.
A voice is taken to decide the outcome.
Give e.g. of public interest considerations. (3)
Public protection
Maintenance of public confidence/proper standards of behaviour.
Not to punish registrant.
What possible actions can F2P committee decide to do? (6)
Agree undertakings
Give warning
Give direction that the entry in the register of person concerned be conditional.
Give a direction that the person be suspended from register for a period not exceeding 12 months.
Give direction at the entry in the register of the person concerned be removed.
If removed from register, registrant only apply for restoration after 5 years have elapsed.
Give e.g. of aggravating factors. (3)
Dishonesty
Under the influence of drugs/alcohol
Lack of insight
Give e.g. of mitigating factors. (6)
Relevant personal matters e.g. bereavement
Repayment of funds
Cooperation with investigation
Open and frank admissions at an early stage
Demonstrate insight
Absence of actual/potential harm to px or public.
Define PSA. (1)
Professional Standards Authority.
Explain the guidance relating to sexual misconduct. (1)
Covers sexual harassment/assault, physical examination of px without consent.
Which are unnecessary and serious sexual offences.
Explain the guidance relating to dishonesty. (2)
Registrants must be ‘trustworthy and act with honesty and integrity.
Dishonesty damages public confidence and trust in the profession.
Explain the guidance relating to raising concerns. (1)
Pharmacy professionals must speak up when they have concerns or when things go wrong including challenging poor practice or behaviours, raising a concern even when it’s not easy to do so.
Failing to raise concerns can lead to failure in healthcare and risks or harm px.
Explain the guidance relating to discrimination. (1)
When a pharmacy professional displays discriminatory views and behaviour and it has been proved it will amount to a serious breach of our professional standards.
How does the GPhC uphold standards? (3)
GPhC inspectors visit registered pharmacies to monitor and secure compliance with standards.
GPhC investigates complaints about registrants and issues advice/guidelines where appropriate.
If a registrant’s FTP is impaired, GPhC can restrict or remove their ability to practise.
Explain the purpose of code of ethics. (1)
Protects the public and professional by maintaining high standards.
Ensures pharmacy staff work at high standards and seen to be so by the public.
What are the standard for pharmacy professionals? (9)
Provide person-centred care
Work in partnership with others
Communicate effectively
Maintain, develop and use their professional knowledge and skills.
Use professional judgement
Behave in a professional manner.
Respect and maintain person’s confidentiality and privacy.
Speak up when they have concerns or when things go wrong.
Demonstrate leadership
How is the 9 standards applied into practice? (1)
Every registered pharmacy professional is responsible for their own actions and omissions.
Define duty of candour. (1)
Health professionals must be open and honest with patients when things go wrong.
How does HCP uphold duty of candour? (4)
Tell px when something goes wrong.
Apologise to px
Offer appropriate remedy or support to put matters right .
Explain fully to the patient the short and long term effects of what has happened.
Explain the process of joint statement on conflict of interests.
Signed by all HC regulators.
Conflicts can arise where someone’s judgement can be influenced.
Put the interests of px before your own interest.
Maintain appropriate personal/professional boundaries with px and others.
Be open about any conflicts of interest you face, declaring it formally where approrpriate and early as possible.
Ensure professionals judgement isn’t compromised.
Refuse all but most trivial gifts, favours or hospitality.
Ensure px have access to visible and easy to understand information on any fees and charging policies.
Define revalidation.
Process of continuing FTP of registrants is provided and in a way which is aimed primarily at supporting and enhancing professional practice.
What records should be made by pharmacy professionals every year? (6)
4 CPD entries (2 planned, 2 unplanned)
1 peer discussion
1 reflective entry, linked to 1 or more of the standards of pharmacy professionals.
Each record must include an explanation of how what they have done has benefited people using pharmacy services to ensure improving care people receive is at the heart of the process.
Submission made via online portal and part of annual registration.
How are records reviewed? (3)
Records are selected to be reviewed - partly random and targeted.
If a record is selected and reviewed and passes, the registrant’s records will not be selected for the next 2 years.
Some registrants may have their records reviewed annually:
- If had previously had undertaken remedial measures following records review.
- If had a Hx of poor compliance with any GPhC standards
- If records are submitted late without good reason.
Records once submitted may be selected for a review at any time.
Registrants will be informed if their records are reviewed and what the outcome is.
Reviews are carried out by a pharmacy professional and lay reviewer.
What if the record falls below the standard? (3)
This allows them time for resubmission.
IF not met the second time, GPhC will follow the steps outlined in the statutory rules.
GPhC may remove registrant from register or remove an annotation to a registrant’s entry relating a specialty. (Rare)
What is PII? (1)
Professional Indemnity Insurance:
- Legal requirement for pharmacy professionals to have in place PII.
What do you need to consider regarding registration? (3)
Pharmacist is a protected title.
It’s unlawful to describe oneself as a pharmacist if your are not registered under the GPhC.
‘We consider continuing to practise when you know that you are to registered and dishonesty about whether you have been practising to be severe aggravating factors in deciding whether we should prosecute someone for practising illegally.’
