The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7417 p301
9 September 2006

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CHRE highlights information barriers faced by the Society

Regulatory difficulties faced by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in two areas have been highlighted by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence.

The CHRE’s annual report for 2005–06 (PDF 750K) notes that a number of police forces make it difficult for the Society to obtain information that it needs to fulfil its public protection role. This is described as incongruous at a time when the Government is developing a wide ranging vetting and barring scheme intended to protect vulnerable groups from unsuitable workers.

Since the period covered by the report, the Society has signed up to an information sharing protocol with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Crown Prosecution Service (PJ, 12 August, p200). The protocol applies only to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.