We have set up Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and Information Sharing Agreements with a number of organisations. These are formal arrangements that set out how we will work together. MoUs and information sharing agreements help us to share information and intelligence and to avoid duplicating work.
We have grouped the organisations alphabetically for you to find out more about these arrangements. Click/tap on the different sections below to navigate to the right part of the page; then click on the organisation's name to display details.
Memoranda of understanding | Information sharing agreements
Memoranda of understanding
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A-G
The Care Inspectorate is an independent body that has been set up to scrutinise and improve health and social care services in Scotland. Their overarching objective is to ensure that people receive high quality care and services, and they work to promote and protect people’s rights.
The main purpose of our working relationship is to maintain public safety and confidence in pharmacy and care services. To support this objective, we will share relevant information which may include:
- Information collected during inspection or investigation of pharmacy premises and local providers of pharmacy education or training which indicate a significant risk to the health and wellbeing of the public.
- Concerns about a pharmacist or pharmacy technician's fitness to practise, or organisation's suitability as training environment for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
- Outcomes arising from relevant investigations and enforcement action.
- Information about sanctions imposed when the fitness to practise of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is found to be impaired.
We signed our MoU in 2014, and this is reviewed every five years.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care services in England. They set the standards that health and adult social care services providers must meet, to ensure that they provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care.
We work closely with the CQC on areas of mutual interest to maintain public safety, and we will share information in circumstances where:
- there are concerns about the health and wellbeing of the public, particularly in relation to the safety of health and care services or the conduct of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, where those concerns are of mutual interest
- the information is relevant to the delivery of either of our functions
- we believe we would derive mutual benefit from a coordinated multi-agency response in fulfilling our overarching functions.
We signed our MoU in 2015, and this is reviewed every five years.
The Food Standards Agency is a statutory body and a non-ministerial government department in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and has close working relationships with Food Standards Scotland. The Food Standards Act 1999 sets out that the main objective of the FSA, in carrying out its functions is to protect public health from risks which may arise in connection with the consumption of food (including risks caused by the way in which it is produced or supplied), and otherwise to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food.
We have signed an MoU to support the effective delivery of our respective roles and responsibilities.
Areas of information sharing may include:
- information about any concern which indicates a significant or potential risk to the health and wellbeing of the public, particularly in relation to the safety of pharmacy services or the conduct of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, or is relevant to the delivery of the other organisation’s functions, or could require a coordinated multi-agency response
- information about potential media interest, or when the media have actively shown an interest, on an issue of relevance to both organisations
- information about relevant investigation and enforcement outcome
- information about the outcomes of fitness to practise cases.
We signed the MoU in 2025, and this is reviewed every 5 years.
H - L
HDA UK is a trade association and represents those businesses who supply medicines, medical devices and healthcare services to patients, pharmacies, hospitals, dispensing doctors, and the pharmaceutical industry. HDA UK members operate across the four nations of the United Kingdom, enabling a safe, efficient, and high-quality supply chain for the healthcare sector.
HDA UK and the GPhC intend to work together to empower the GPhC to carry out its duty to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public who use pharmacy services in England, Scotland and Wales by upholding standards and public trust in pharmacy.
The objectives of the MoU are to:
- support the effective sharing of expertise and experience
- support the sharing of information and intelligence as necessary to support each organisation’s objectives and the aims of this MoU
- ensure that effective channels of communication and information sharing are established and maintained
- define the circumstances in which the two organisations will act jointly and independently
- facilitate working together more effectivelybe transparent about areas of co-operation
The MoU will facilitate the two organisations working together more effectively and will provide a framework for the responsible sharing of expertise and experience, as well as information and intelligence. The GPhC and HDA UK will share information where it is necessary in order to ensure and promote the safety of pharmacy services and safe supply of medicines.
We signed the MoU in 2024, and this is reviewed every 5 years.
Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is a specialist Health Authority that is responsible for education and workforce planning and development in Wales.
The purpose of our MoU is to provide a framework for collaborative working, to improve the quality of healthcare by raising standards and promoting professional development. We collaborate and share information where this is necessary to fulfil our respective statutory functions including in circumstances where:
- there are concerns about an individual pharmacy professional’s fitness to practise
- there are any concerns and relevant information about a healthcare organisation or a part of that organisation which may call into question its suitability as a learning environment for pharmacy students
- enforcement action has taken place against a pharmacy, and the outcome of that action is of relevance to the other organisation to ensure patient and public safety.
We signed our MoU in 2020, and this is reviewed every five years.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) is the national healthcare improvement organisation for Scotland and forms part of NHS Scotland. They work to ensure that the Scottish healthcare system provides safe and effective person-centred care, that those services are informed by the people of Scotland, and that those delivering the services have support to innovate and improve.
We collaborate and exchange information necessary to fulfil our statutory functions, to protect patients and improve the quality of pharmacy services. Areas of information sharing may include:
- information about concerns or investigations about the quality or safety of a regulated independent healthcare organisation in which pharmacists or pharmacy technicians practice or are trained
- information collected through monitoring of designated bodies and local providers of pharmacy education and training
- concerns that relate to a particular pharmacy professional’s fitness to practise
- the training environment for pharmacy professionals.
We signed our MoU in 2021, and this is reviewed every five years.
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) is the independent inspectorate and regulator of healthcare in Wales. HIW’s core role is to inspect NHS services and regulate independent healthcare providers by setting the policies and standards which those organisations must meet and adhere to. They also produce guidance to highlight areas of concern and drive forward improvement.
Our working relationship supports the exchange of information where either organisation identifies risks to the public, particularly in relation to the safety of pharmacy services or in circumstances where the fitness to practise of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician is called into question, and where resolution would benefit from a coordinated response.
We may share information about:
- the quality and safety of services provided by a healthcare organisation.
the fitness to practise of a pharmacy or pharmacy technician - intelligence from our regulatory work which may be useful in developing our approach to regulation
- any other information about investigations we may be conducting, and that may be relevant to the other organisation’s remit.
We signed our MoU in 2020, and this is reviewed every five years.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate which reports on conditions for and treatment of those in prison and in other forms of detention. Their overarching objective is to ensure that detention is humane, safe, respectful and helps to prepare people for release ahead of their return into their communities.
We collaborate and exchange information about pharmacy services in prisons, which is relevant to our statutory functions. This may include:
- sharing information and intelligence responsibly, related to areas of mutual concern
- concerns related information, which may affect the health and wellbeing of the public
- information which is relevant to the delivery of the other organisation's functions, and/or would benefit from a coordinated response.
We signed our MoU in 2015, and this is reviewed every five years.
The Home Office Drugs Licensing and Compliance Unit (DLCU) is the UK Competent Authority for the licensing of individuals and organisations to produce, possess, supply or manufacture Controlled Drugs, defined in accordance with the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and its associated Regulations 2001.
We have agreed to share information where it is necessary to perform our regulatory functions effectively, and where it is in the public interest.
Areas of information sharing may include:
- information about concerns raised by a member of the public which indicates a significant risk in relation to the safer management of controlled drugs, or is directly relevant to the delivery of the other organisation's functions, or requires a coordinated multi-agency response
- information about the outcomes of fitness to practise cases, and assessment of registered pharmacies' compliance with standards
- information about planned inspections where registered pharmacies are known to hold Home Office licenses, to avoid potential duplication of effort
- information about outcomes arising from any relevant investigations and enforcement actions.
We signed our MoU in 2016, and this is reviewed every five years.
The JCCP is a self-regulator of the non-surgical aesthetic industry in England. It acts as a point of access for the public seeking information about this area of practice and, where appropriate, for raising issues of concern about practitioners.
The purpose of our memorandum of understanding is to set out a framework between the GPhC and the JCCP to ensure that:
- effective channels of communication and information sharing are established and maintained between the GPhC and the JCCP, to promote patient safety and high-quality services for patients receiving non-surgical aesthetic treatments (including hair restoration surgery)
- where appropriate and necessary, the processes and procedures adopted by the JCCP and the GPhC, with regard to matters of ‘fitness to practise’ for pharmacy professionals or pharmacy owners involved in the provision of non-surgical aesthetic treatments, are aligned to promote patient safety and public protection.
We signed our MoU in 2019, and this is reviewed every five years.
M - O
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regulates medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion in the UK. They are responsible for ensuring that medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality and efficacy, as well as securing safe supply chain for medicines, medical devices and blood components.
We have signed an MoU to support the effective delivery of our respective roles and responsibilities.
Areas of information sharing may include:
- information about any concern which indicates a significant or potential risk to the health and wellbeing of the public, particularly in relation to the safety of pharmacy services or the conduct of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, or is relevant to the delivery of the other organisation’s functions, or could require a coordinated multi-agency response
- information about planned and performed inspections along with any relevant interim intelligence gathered
- information about relevant investigation and enforcement outcome
- information about the outcomes of fitness to practise cases
We signed our MoU in 2016, and this is reviewed every five years.
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is an education and training body and a national health board within NHS Scotland. They are responsible for developing and delivering healthcare education and training for the NHS, health and social care sector and other public bodies. They have a Scotland-wide role in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development.
The overarching purpose of our MoU is to maintain the safe practice of pharmacy and confidence in pharmacy services and pharmacy professionals.
Areas of information sharing may include:
- any concerns and relevant information about a Scottish education provider in which healthcare and pharmacy professionals practice or are trained, which may cause concerns for other organisation
- any concerns and relevant information about an education provider which may call into question the robustness of its systems of appraisal and clinical governance
- any relevant information from fitness to practise processes and procedures which impact upon or concern a trainee pharmacy professional
- any concerns and relevant information about pharmacy premises in which healthcare professionals practise or are trained, which may cause concern for other organisation.
We signed our MoU in 2018, and this is reviewed every five years.
NHS England leads the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Their overarching purpose is to lead the NHS in England through workforce development to support the delivery of excellent healthcare and health improvement to patients and the public.
Our MoU sets out the overarching principles of cooperation between our respective organisations. We share information where it is necessary in order to perform our regulatory functions effectively, and where it is in the public interest.
Areas of information sharing may include:
- the sharing of intelligence which indicates a significant risk to the health and wellbeing of the public, particularly in relation to the safety of pharmacy services or the conduct of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, or is directly relevant to the delivery of the other organisation’s functions and areas of responsibility, or requires a coordinated multi-agency response
- information about the outcomes of hearings when pharmacists and pharmacy technicians’ fitness to practise is found to be impaired
- information about a planned inspection and assessment of registered pharmacies’ compliance with our standards
- outcomes arising from any relevant investigations and enforcement action.
We signed our agreement in 2018, and this is reviewed every five years.
NHS England (Workforce, Training and Education) is responsible for healthcare education and training in England.
We work together in the interests of the education and training of pharmacy professionals that enables better and safer services to be provided to patients and the public.
We share information if either organisation receives:
any concerns and relevant information about an education provider in which healthcare and pharmacy professionals practise or are trained, which may be cause for concern.
any concerns and relevant information about an provider of pharmacy education or training, which may call into question the robustness of its systems of appraisal and clinical governance.
any relevant information from fitness to practise processes and procedures which impact upon or concern a trainee pharmacy professional.
any concerns and relevant information about pharmacy premises in which healthcare professionals practise or are trained, which may cause concern for either organisation.
We signed our MoU in 2017, and this is reviewed every five years.
NHS Practitioner Health is a free, confidential NHS primary care mental health and addiction service with expertise in treating health & care professionals in England and Scotland. They provide comprehensive assessments and treatment of a wide range of mental health and addiction issues.
Both organisations recognise the overriding duty to protect the public whilst being fair and supportive to pharmacy professionals who may be struggling with mental health and/or addiction issues.
Areas of information sharing may include:
- discussions about how best to manage concerns about a pharmacy professional, point of referral or post-referral to either organisation. These discussions will initially take place without naming individuals
- discussions about referrals from other organisations to determine whether a referral should be made to either the GPhC or NHSPH
- disclosure of concerns about a pharmacy professional’s health which may affect patient safety
- referral or signposting the pharmacy professional undergoing a Fitness to Practise investigation, who may be suffering from mental health or addiction problems, to NHSPH.
Our MoU was signed in 2021, and this is reviewed every five years.
NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services provide a comprehensive service to reduce the risk of fraud and corruption in NHS Scotland and across the Scottish public sector.
The GPhC and CFS share a common goal to ensure that those who work within the NHS are professional and accountable in every aspect of their work, and maintain the highest integrity. We have an agreed MoU in place to provide a framework that sets out the circumstances under which we may share information which includes:
- concerns about a pharmacy professional’s fitness to practise (where this relates to fraud in Scotland)
- information related to pharmacy professionals who are the subject of an investigation which may prove to be relevant to the GPhC.
We signed our MoU in 2014, and this is reviewed every five years.
P - Z
The Patient Safety Commissioner’s role is to promote patient safety in relation to medicines and medical devices, and to promote the views of patients and other members of the public in relation to the safety of medicines and medical devices.
Both our organisations have a statutory role in promoting patient safety. To that end, we will keep each other informed of any relevant regulatory, policy or other thematic work relating to the safety of patients, specifically with regards to the use of medicines and medical devices.
We signed our MoU in 2023, and this is reviewed every five years.
The PSNI is the regulatory and professional body for pharmacists and registered pharmacy premises in Northern Ireland. Their core functions are similar to those of the GPhC and include setting the standards for pharmacy professionals in Northern Ireland (including education and training), and handling fitness to practise concerns about pharmacy professionals. They also act as the professional body for pharmacists in which they seek to develop the pharmacy profession in Northern Ireland.
Both the GPhC and PSNI are committed to working together to ensure that the principles of regulation remain consistent, and that public confidence is maintained in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Areas of information sharing include:
- Information about Fitness to Practise and Concerns.
- Education, training standards and accreditation.
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- Policy and strategy.
- Registration.
Our agreement started in 2014, and this is reviewed every five years.
The Pharmacist Cooperative is a UK cooperative which looks after the interest of its registered members. It is dedicated to achieving fair, positive and safe working conditions for pharmacists to reflect their education and training, responsibilities and workload. Their online support network is open to pharmacists, ACTs, pharmacy technicians, dispensers and pharmacy owners with dedicated clinical and locum support groups for pharmacists only.
The Pharmacist Cooperative and GPhC intend to work together to empower the GPhC to carry out its duty to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public who use pharmacy services in England, Scotland and Wales by upholding standards and public trust in pharmacy.
To do this, the Pharmacist Cooperative will anonymise reviews received on its social media platform relating to experiences of working in pharmacy premises and share them to the GPhC. The GPhC will assess this information as part of its risk assessment of pharmacies to support early interventions where significant risks are identified.
We signed our MoU in 2025, which will be reviewed every five years.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pharmacist Support which aims to support the wellbeing of the pharmacy professions.
The two organisations have very different roles: the GPhC regulates pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in Great Britain while Pharmacist Support is a charity supporting pharmacy students, trainees, pharmacists and their families and former pharmacists.
By working together, the aim is to help support the wellbeing of members of the pharmacy professions – which is both essential for their personal health and can impact on the quality of care they provide to patients.
The objectives of the MoU are to:
- support the effective sharing of expertise and experience
- support the sharing of information and intelligence as necessary to support each organisation’s functions and the aims of this MoU whilst maintaining confidentiality
- ensure that effective channels of communication and information sharing are established and maintained
- define the circumstances in which the two organisations will act jointly and independently
- be transparent about areas of co-operation
The MoU will facilitate the two organisations working together more effectively, and will provide a framework for the responsible sharing of expertise and experience, as well as information and intelligence. The MoU includes protections to ensure confidentiality is maintained appropriately. It means that Pharmacist Support and the GPhC will be able to work together to promote the wellbeing of registrants, advise each other of broad areas of concern and use joint resources to the benefit of both organisations.
We signed our MoU in 2025, which will be reviewed every five years.
Save Face is a voluntary regulator of registered doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists and prescribing pharmacists practising aesthetic medicine, and are accredited by The Professional Standards Authority. They set standards of practice for regulated professionals who specialise in aesthetic practice. We share information as is necessary to fulfil our statutory functions to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of the public.
Information sharing may include, but is not limited to:
- Areas of mutual interest as these relate to policy and strategy.
- Concerns about pharmacy professionals and pharmacy premises, where it is in the interest of public safety.
- Experiences of investigations, intelligence or trends.
We signed our MoU in 2019 this is reviewed annually.
NHS Scotland consists of 14 regional NHS Boards which are responsible for the protection and the improvement of their population’s health and for the delivery of frontline healthcare services.
The GPhC and the Scottish Health Boards are committed to working collaboratively as is necessary to fulfil our respective statutory functions, and to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the public.
Areas of information sharing may include:
- Sharing information on strategic and policy developments which may impact on each other's work.
- Sharing information about trends, data approaches and initiatives which may be of interest to the other organisation.
- Sharing learning, for example in the identification and management of risk.
- Notifying each other of risk profiling information, intelligence or specific concerns about pharmacy professionals or pharmacy services that are relevant to mutual responsibilities.
We signed our MoUs in 2015, and these are reviewed every five years.
The VMD is the competent authority for veterinary medicines in the UK and is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The VMD’s aims are to safeguard public health, animal health and the environment and to promote animal welfare by ensuring the safety, quality and efficacy of all aspects of veterinary medicines in the UK.
We may share information which:
- indicates a significant risk with regard to the supply of veterinary medicines, particularly in relation to the safety of pharmacy services or the conduct of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician
- is directly relevant to the delivery of the other organisation’s functions
- requires a coordinated multi-agency response
reveals a pattern of information indicating a potential issue or concern - relates to inspections of pharmacies whose business primarily, or significantly, consists of supplies of veterinary medicines with the VMD and when relevant risks or concerns are identified in any registered pharmacy involving veterinary medicines.
Our agreement started in 2020, and this is reviewed every five years.
Information Sharing Agreements
The DBS is part of the Home Office, and their function is to enable organisations to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain types of work, especially with vulnerable groups of people, by providing access to criminal record information in England and Wales.
We have signed an Information Sharing Agreement to promote co-operation between our respective organisations at an operational level and to facilitate the discharge of our respective statutory functions
We may share information in circumstances where:
- relevant information may be required by the GPhC to determine whether a registrant’s fitness to practise is impaired
- relevant information that is held by the GPhC in relation to a registrant’s fitness to practise may be required by the DBS to determine whether or not they should be placed on a barred list.
Our agreement started in 2018, and is reviewed every two years.
Request a copy of the information sharing agreement document, in full
ACRO is a national police unit under the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and is responsible for exchanging criminal conviction information between the UK and other countries. ACRO provides access to information held on the Police National Computer (PNC) to support the criminal justice work of some non-police prosecuting agencies, as well as to assist safeguarding processes conducted by relevant agencies.
We have signed an agreement to formalise the arrangements under which ACRO, acting on behalf of UK police forces, will provide the GPhC with access to relevant information held on the Police National Computer (PNC) where this is necessary for the GPhC to have access to such information to enable us to effectively fulfil our statutory, regulatory and prosecution functions.
The nature of the information required by the GPhC may include both recordable and non-recordable offences.
Our agreement started in 2014, and is reviewed annually.
Request a copy of the information sharing agreement document, in full