Closed consultation Review of pharmacy regulation in Northern Ireland

Summary

The regulatory and professional leadership functions of the pharmacy profession in Northern Ireland are currently performed by one organisation, the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (the Society). This dual role is counter to modern thinking across the UK on what constitutes effective and efficient regulation of healthcare professionals.

Documents

• Consultation document Microsoft Word (104 KB)
• Initial regulatory impact assessment Microsoft Word (26 KB)
• Equality screening template Microsoft Word (161 KB)
• Consultation response questionnaire Microsoft Word (63 KB)

Help viewing documents

Consultation description

While the pharmacy profession is held in high esteem, it is important to ensure that regulation of this sector is able to keep pace with expected change aligned with the HSC transformational agenda in an efficient manner. It is considered that to operate effectively in the public interest, a modern regulator must be totally and demonstrably independent from the profession it regulates. It must also be impartial, and be seen to be impartial, in its decisions and its actions.

As such, a number of proposals have been developed which seek to reform the current dual role of regulation and leadership performed by the Society. The options proposed are:

1. Do nothing. The Society remains responsible for undertaking both the regulatory and professional leadership functions;
2. Separate the regulatory and professional leadership functions of the Society and establish a separate Northern Ireland-based arrangement for the regulation of the pharmacy profession; and
3. Separate the regulatory and professional leadership functions of the Society and establish arrangements for the regulation of the pharmacy profession on a UK-wide basis.

Your views are sought on the proposals contained in the consultation document and a response questionnaire has been provided separately below.

This consultation has also been published alongside an initial equality screening of the Section 75 categories as well as an initial regulatory impact assessment of the proposals.

Ways to respond

Consultation closed — responses are no longer being accepted.