Pharmacy workers – and a new threat to religious freedom from equality laws meant to protect it

Feb 13, 2017 by Jill

by Chris Whitehouse, Conservative Home:

Defending the right to conscientious objection to participation in abortion has been a consistent Conservative approach ever since abortion was legalised in 1967 – but that could be set to change.

The body that oversees pharmacists and pharmacy technicians looks set to deny those professionals the right to act according to their conscience when it comes to issuing the abortifacient morning after pill, in a move that could see careers in pharmacy being a non-starter for those who hold pro-life or strong religious views.

The General Pharmaceutical Council which is the regulator for such pharmacy personnel and their premises throughout England, Scotland and Wales has launched a public consultation, which closes on March 7th, on how to interpret its new rules with effect from May 1st this year.

One of those rules, Standard 1, requires that “pharmacy professionals must provide person-centred care”, a requirement that has been illustrated with examples which, up until now, have accepted that there will be occasions when the conscience of the individual means that they cannot personally provide the medication, treatment or service being requested.

In such circumstances, it has been the case until now that the pharmacy professional should “tell relevant health professionals, employers or others if their own values or beliefs prevent them from providing care, and refer people to other providers.” In short, a pharmacist who doesn’t wish to issue an abortifacient drug, could refer that patient/customer to another colleague.

Under the new example given in the consultation document, that option to refer to a colleague would be removed. In future, it proposes, that the pharmacy professional will have to “take responsibility for ensuring that person-centred care is not compromised because of personal values and belief”.

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