The GPhC Is Not Quite Big Brother With Its New Surveillance Powers

The GPhC's new Registered Pharmacies Enforcement Policy, relating to its powers to enforce compliance with its standards for registered pharmacies, came into force last month. The purpose of these powers is to assure the public that pharmacy services will be safe and effective. Among the powers is the ability to operate covert surveillance within an investigation.

The GPhC says it is committed to using the minimum regulatory intervention required, which it calls "right-touch regulation". In the policy, the regulator sets out its principal powers of enforcement and refers also to powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, known as RIPA. RIPA lays down a legal framework regulating how public authorities investigate, and how they conduct surveillance.