The General Pharmaceutical Council has published new guidance that details the key areas where registered pharmacies that provide services over a distance need to consider.

All pharmacies that provide services such as the EPS, collection and delivery, or internet-based, will be expected to follow the guidance, which covers areas such as risk assessments, regular audits and managing websites.

Pharmacies must ensure they provide patients with the information they need to enable them to make an informed decision about their medicines and the pharmacy services they use, the guidance says, while at the same time ensuring that patient information is held securely in line with data protection legislation.

The guidance will help ensure that pharmacy services and the sale or supply of medicines remain safe in those instances where patients may not have face-to-face interaction with a pharmacy professional.

Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the GPhC, commented: “Different ways of providing pharmacy services are becoming increasingly common and this new guidance will help pharmacies wanting to introduce new ways of providing services to their patients.

We expect that it will apply to almost every pharmacy and I would urge all pharmacy owners, superintendents and staff to engage with it.”