White paper The Government's White Paper on the future of healthcare professional regulation, Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century, was published on 21 February 2007. The White Paper sets out the Government's intention to remove regulation from the RPSGB and give it to a newly-created General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The Government also wishes to see what it describes as a "body akin to a Royal College" to provide leadership for the profession.
For the White Paper and briefings from the RPSGB, click on the link below:
For information about the 2006 Department of Health consultation on the regulation of non-medical healthcare professions (the Foster report) and on medical regulation (the Donaldson report), click here.
Carter Working Party In March 2007 the Department of Health set up a working party on professional regulation and leadership in pharmacy, led by Lord Carter of Coles, to further these proposals. The working party reported to ministers on 16 May 2007.
For the Carter Working Party report and summaries of evidence from the RPGSB, click on the links below:
Clarke Inquiry In August 2007 the RPSGB commissioned an independent analysis of the principles, functions and structure of a future professional body, to be chaired by Nigel Clarke.
For information about the more recent steps towards the setting up of the new professional leadership body for pharmacy, including the work of the Transitional Committee (TransCom) and the Transitional Working Group, click here
Pharmacy Regulation and Leadership Oversight Group (PRLOG) Following recommendations made in the Carter Working Party (CWP) report, the Department of Health announced on 13 July 2007 the establishment of the Pharmacy Regulation and Leadership Oversight Group (PRLOG). This group, which met for the first time on 7 August 2007, is advising and working with Health Ministers on the complex programme of work to establish the GPhC, and on helping to identify how leadership in the pharmacy profession can best support the GPhC, for example in relation to assessment and accreditation functions and determining standards.
For information about PRLOG, click on the links below
For information about more recent steps towards the setting up of the new pharmacy regulator, including the Draft Pharmacy Order 2009, click here