Professional guidance
Professional guidance
While a pharmacist has a legal right to object to the supply of oral EC, this can have a profound impact on the patient. The refusal to supply might be interpreted as moral intimidation and could even discourage a patient from seeking further help.
What's more, this refusal to provide oral EC curtails the patient's right to appropriate, time-sensitive treatment, simply because of the pharmacist's moral position. But while the right to conscientious objection is legally protected, pharmacists remain bound to act in accordance with professional guidance issued by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
“Guidance does not compel a pharmacist to provide oral EC if doing so conflicts with their own beliefs”
The guiding principle of the GPhC is person-centred care and advocates that pharmacists act in the patient's best interests. The GPhC's 2017 guidance on religion and personal values states that pharmacy professionals must not discriminate on the basis of religion, personal beliefs, or lack thereof.
The guidance, therefore, does not compel a pharmacist to provide a service such as oral EC if doing so conflicts with their own beliefs. Instead, an individual pharmacist is required to:
- Inform their employer of any beliefs that may affect service provision, and
- Ensure the patient can access the service promptly and without hindrance, for example by referral to another pharmacy.