The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has launched "a national conversation" with patients, the public and pharmacy professionals about what patient-centred professionalism means to them.

The outcomes will inform the GPhC’s future regulatory work, and in particular the review of its standards of conduct, ethics and performance.

The GPhC has launched a discussion paper that asks a number of questions, including:

• What characteristics does someone who is professional and patient-centred demonstrate?
• What are the barriers and enablers to patient-centred professionalism?
• Which examples of professionalism best illustrate what patient-centred professionalism is all about?

Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the GPhC, said: “Given the changes in the roles of pharmacy professionals and in the public’s expectations of pharmacy, it has never been more important to have an honest and open conversation about what it means to be a pharmacy professional today and in the future.

“I invite all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to let us know what it means to them to be a professional, and for patients and the public to let us know what it is they expect from pharmacy professionals. This will help us and others in pharmacy to describe what it means to act professionally in pharmacy in the 21st century and inform the review of our standards of conduct, ethics and performance.”

The closing date for responses to the survey is Friday June 26. People can also take part in the discussion on Twitter using the hashtag #professionalism4patients.