Guidance for the education and training of pharmacists and pharmacist independent prescribers has been updated to reflect commitments to sustainability, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has announced.

The updated guidance highlights the crucial role of pharmacists as medicines experts in working towards the more environmentally sustainable use of medicines and decreasing their associated carbon footprint and environmental risk.

It also stresses the importance of embedding sustainable healthcare approaches at ‘all levels of practice from early education to system leaders in order to drive and maintain positive change’.

From a pharmacy education perspective, this means incorporating environmentally sustainable practice into curriculums. This will support future pharmacists to be well informed and equipped to make a positive impact in sustainable practice, the GPhC said.

The updated guidance encourages pharmacy professionals to build upon work around the environmental sustainability of medicines and signposts a range of relevant resources to inform and inspire their practice.

This includes the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, Pharmacy Declares and the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change.

Updates to this guidance follows the launch of the GPhC’s carbon net zero action plan in August 2024, which aimed to ‘inspire and support’ sustainable pharmacy practice. The regulator aims to reach carbon net zero by 2040, which aligns with NHS ambitions.

GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin said: ‘At the GPhC, our mission is to protect, promote, and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public by upholding standards and ensuring the quality of pharmacy education and practice.’

He added: ‘In aligning with our commitment to ensure that individuals receive safe and effective pharmacy care, we acknowledge the pressing challenges posed by the climate crisis and environmental issues. The health and wellbeing of individuals are inextricably linked to planetary health, making it imperative for us to address and mitigate our environmental impact.’

The consideration of climate change and environmental sustainability has been added to the guidance supporting the implementation of the standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists and pharmacist independent prescribers.

This article first appeared on our sister title Hospital Pharmacy Europe.