Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to allow a pharmacy to open without a registered pharmacist being present.

The Government currently has no plans to allow a pharmacy to open without a registered pharmacist being present, or for pharmacy technicians to replace registered pharmacists in community pharmacies.

The four United Kingdom health departments consulted from June to September 2018 on proposals to strengthen and clarify the organisational governance requirements of registered pharmacies, particularly around the roles and responsibilities of Responsible Pharmacists and Superintendent Pharmacists. The proposals do not amend the existing law requiring a pharmacist to be present at all times that a pharmacy is open for the provision of pharmaceutical services. The Government is considering consultation responses.