Important Guidance on Change of Ownership Requirements

An important reminder with pharmacy owners and superintendent pharmacists when there is a change of ownership of a pharmacy. 

Many are not always aware of the legal requirement to notify the GPhC within 28 days of a pharmacy’s change of ownership, by submitting a change of ownership notification form. If this does not happen within 28 days, the GPhC have to remove the pharmacy from the register, which means the pharmacy would have to close until it has been restored onto the register. 

Pharmacy owners and superintendent pharmacists have been written to to remind them of this requirement.

What to do when pharmacy ownership changes

• Notify the GPhC within 28 days when the ownership of a pharmacy changes, the new owner must legally notify the GPhC within 28 days by submitting a change of ownership notification form. 
• Submit the form only once the sale is fully completed: The notification form must be fully completed and signed by both the previous owner and the new owner, and the relevant fee must be paid before it can be processed. 
• If this is your first pharmacy, nominate a superintendent pharmacist: 
  If the new owner organisation is a body corporate, or limited liability partnership that does not currently own any other pharmacies, you will also need to nominate a superintendent pharmacist as part of the notification process. 
• If the GPhC do not receive the fully completed form within the 28-day timeframe, the pharmacy will be removed from the register. This means the pharmacy must close immediately and the owner will need to apply for restoration and pay the associated restoration fee before the pharmacy can reopen. 

For further information and to access the change of ownership form, please visit the Change of ownership page on the GPhC website.

Locally Commissioned Services and Change of Ownership

When the ownership of a pharmacy changes, the new owner must notify the Local Authority and ask for any services the pharmacy wishes to continue to offer are transferred to the new owner.

A new contract and new payment details will need to be set up between the pharmacy and the council.