Inspection and Licensing Policy

1. Purpose This policy explains how the Council assesses applications through this portal. The Electronic Pharmacy Regulations, 2026 and the Council's procedures prevail over this summary.

2. Assessment of applications Each application is checked against the registration requirements of regulation 4 (electronic pharmaceutical service providers) or regulation 8 (electronic pharmacy aggregators), and any further requirement the Council determines.

3. Inspection Inspection of any sector of the pharmaceutical industry attracts a fee prescribed by the Council (regulation 33). The Council may inspect premises, websites and platforms; require access to the backend of a website or platform; examine and copy records; and, where an electronic pharmaceutical service provider is unregistered or unlicensed or refuses access, take the platform down or seal the premises (regulation 17(3)). Those responsible must give the Council's inspectors all necessary assistance (regulation 17(4)). Failing to give access, or obstructing an inspector, is an offence (regulations 44 and 45).

4. Correction requests Where an inspection finds matters to be put right, the Council issues directives in the portal. You respond with the evidence asked for, and the Council reviews it.

5. Recommendation and approval After inspection, the application is reviewed and a recommendation made; the final decision is taken by the Council's approving officer. Each step is recorded with the officer, the date and the decision.

6. Licensing The Council issues an electronic pharmacy licence when the registration requirements are met and in line with Good Pharmacy Practices (regulation 5(1)). The conditions for eligibility are in regulation 5(2).

7. Refusal If an application is not recommended or not approved, you are told in the portal. See the Complaints and Appeals Policy if you wish to ask for a review.

8. Renewal A licence expires on 31 December each year and is due for renewal on 1 January of the following year (regulations 6(1) and 9(4)). A renewal not made by 31 January attracts a late payment fee of 50 percent of the applicable fee (regulation 41).

9. Changes, suspension and revocation Changes to the Superintendent Pharmacist, sites, platform, scope or areas of practice must be applied for within 30 days (regulation 13). Where there is a breach, the Registrar issues a notice requiring reasons within 14 days why the licence should not be suspended, revoked, modified, withdrawn or cancelled (regulation 14(1)).