The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), and the national pharmacy organisations representing community pharmacy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, have called upon the Department of Health (DoH) to remove the "three year rule," whereby EU qualified pharmacists cannot act as the responsible pharmacist unless the pharmacy premises have been registered with the RPSGB for more than three years.

In a letter to the Department of Health signed by the RPSGB and by co signatories from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), Association of Independent Multiples (AIMp); Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS); PSNI (Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland); the Company Chemists Association (CCA); and the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), the Department of Health has been requested to remove the three year rule from the relevant legislation at the earliest opportunity.

On behalf of the various organisations, Wendy Harris, Deputy Registrar and Director of Regulation at the RPSGB explains that the existing prohibition is not linked either to the expertise and competence of the EU pharmacist or to the length of time that he or she has been registered with the RPSGB or to the time worked in Great Britain, but is instead allied to the date of registration of the pharmacy premises. This includes minor relocations as well as new premises. The co signatories agree that the current legislation does not offer any real

public benefit or protection and that there is, therefore, no real reason for the legislation to remain as in its existing form as it is unfit for purpose. The co signatories have therefore requested that the Department of Health considers removal of the three year rule at the earliest opportunity.

Notes

The "three year rule" exists under Sections 70 and 71 of the Medicines Act 1968 ('the Act'), and places a prohibition on pharmacists registered by virtue of a qualification in pharmacy awarded in a relevant European State from being the responsible pharmacist of pharmacy premises in Great Britain that have been registered for less than three years.

Source
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain