Uh oh... In this section, we will look at those despicable pharmacists who either through bad luck or professional malpractice have been suspended by the GPhC or even struck off. The number one cause of the wrath of the GPhC is theft and fraud, but we will try to delve a little deeper. These follies have been listed, starting with the best of the bunch to the worst. Enjoy!
Number 10
Pharmacist struck off for attempted £12 Asda cardigan theft 2013
A Locum pharmacist was struck off the professional register for attempting to exchange shoes she had not purchased for a £12 Asda cardigan. The locum took the shoes from the shelves of a Nuneaton Asda branch and tried to gain store credit to pay for the cardigan. When the locum went to the counter, she said she wanted to exchange the shoes for the cardigan, but did not have the receipt. The locum asked if she could leave all the items behind the counter, including the children's slippers until she completed her locum shift. Afterwards, the locum went to pick up the items and told the staff member that she had submitted a receipt for the shoes earlier that day. Although the receipt could not be found, the pharmacist received store credit for the shoes that paid for the cardigan.
Number 9
Pharmacist ordered £1 million worth of Controlled Drugs from his mum's pharmacy and sold it to drug dealers.
A pharmacist who supplied controlled drugs to criminals worth more than £1m on the black market and was jailed for 12 months has been struck off the register. Balkeet Singh Khaira from Sutton Coldfield was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court in March after confessing to five charges of supplying CDs between February 2016 and August 2017 at the Khaira Pharmacy in West Bromwich. Read more.
Number 8
Pharmacist struck off for horrendous sexual assaults 2013
A pharmacist harassed a member of staff for 14 months, sexually assaulting her in his consultation room, and made similar advances towards a second employee. In one instance, the member of staff recounted how the pharmacist started "pushing up against her and touching her hands on the computer keyboards" saying "show me your boobs, just give me a peep" while she was working, the pharmacist then "grabbed her by the neck" and forced his lips onto hers.
Number 7
Former Lloyds pharmacist struck off after illegal POMs sales 2013
A pharmacist repeatedly gave out diabetes and cardiovascular medication to a patient without a prescription over 15 months in exchange for more than £200 in cash. The patient, who was from outside the UK and not registered with a GP, had a list of medications that had previously been dispensed under the NHS and needed a repeat prescription. The pharmacist wrongly assumed that as the patient was from abroad supplying them with PoMs would go unnoticed by the GPhC. The pharmacist was caught on CCTV removing the medication from the store and handing over a "large sum of money" to the same patient.
Number 6
Pharmacist suspended for stealing £10 daily parking fees 2012
A pharmacist in question stole £10 a day for 9 months from the till to pay for his parking. This only amounted to £80, the pharmacist assumed this was okay, the GPhC did not!
Number 5
Pharmacist suspended for dishonest use of Tesco Clubcard 2011
A pharmacist was suspended from the register for one month after using a Tesco Clubcard to obtain points to which she was not entitled while working as a locum at an in-store pharmacy in Dorset. The bulk of the transactions were linked to a promotion Tesco was running at the time, in which one of the prizes was 50 extra Clubcard points when at least £1.50 was spent on any product at the pharmacy counter. Having acquired a winning voucher, the pharmacist used her own card to obtain points earned on purchases made by customers who either did not have cards or did not use their cards.
Number 4
Pharmacist suspended for 'regularly' using cocaine 2012
Don't do drugs kids! The pharmacist in question tested positive for cocaine use and admitted to police in August 2010. The pharmacist had a few excuses but as always the GPhC committee ruled that the misuse of drugs was "wholly unacceptable in a registered pharmacist" and suspended the pharmacist for 12 months.
Number 3
Pharmacist suspended from the GPhC register after lying about speeding 2012
A pharmacist was clocked by a speed camera driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone in 2008. When asked by police for details about who was driving the car at the time, the pharmacist lied and said it was not him, and that both he and the car had been elsewhere. But the police had a clear photo of him behind the wheel. In March 2011 he was found guilty at Oxford Crown Court, receiving a four-month suspended sentence, 100 hours of unpaid work and told to pay £3,500 in costs.
Number 2
Pharmacist suspended for fighting with a hammer and CS spray 2012
A male pharmacist was convicted of drink-driving before being caught in a fight armed with a hammer, scissors and a can of CS spray. Although the pharmacist's clinical practice had never given the slightest cause for concern the GPhC found what happened an act of gross misconduct.
Number 1
Pharmacists illegally sell Valium and morphine in Paddington/Edgware Road 2013-
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| Durr... I am Farmercist... |
This is a biggy, the news broke on the BBC after an undercover reporter bought a whole load of POMs from numerous pharmacies in Paddington. These included broad-spec antibiotics (amoxicillin), temazepam and OraMorph. Surprisingly enough, the GPhC did not immediately strike off all pharmacists involved although most of them were caught red-handed on tape. Have a look at the BBC Article here...
Even after this black and white case, another pharmacist, Anatolijus Kostiukevicius at Ali Raza Pharmacy in Edgware Road in 2018 was caught by the Daily Mail selling a pack of 60 Xanax (Alprazolam) to a patient for £150.
Here are a few more recent examples of pharmacists being struck off which didn't quite make the cut.
| Date | Summary | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Jan-18 | Forged a Superintendent's signature on sending documents to the NPA for an ACT course. | The Council received a complaint from the NPA to the effect that Ms Chhetri appeared to have forged the signature of the Superintendent Pharmacist at the Pharmacy on documents she had submitted in relation to the ACT course. |
| Mar-17 | Stealing from a pharmacy and selling on eBAY. | The Registrant had been stealing pharmacy items including diabetic test strips and lancets from the pharmacy's stock and selling them on eBay. |
| Jul-18 | Sexual communications with a child. | On 23rd and 24th April 2018, attempted to engage in sexual communication with a child contrary to s 15A (1) of the Sexual Offenses Act 2003. |
| Aug-18 | Destruction of property. | On 15 August 2018, received a conviction for destroying an iPhone s6 without lawful excuse, intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged, contrary to sections 3 1(1) and 4 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971, at Cardiff Magistrates Court. |