What a pharmacy website must display

Key takeaways

A pharmacy website should make clear who owns and runs the pharmacy, its GPhC registration details, the superintendent pharmacist, its address and how patients can check the register. It should list services and hours, and stay within medicines advertising rules: prescription-only medicines cannot be advertised to the public.

• Show the pharmacy's GPhC registration and how to check it.
• Name the owner and superintendent pharmacist.
• List services, opening hours and any online ordering.
• Prescription-only medicines cannot be advertised to the public.

What must a pharmacy website display?

A pharmacy website should display the pharmacy's registration details with the General Pharmaceutical Council, the owner, the superintendent pharmacist, the registered address and how to verify registration. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) treats these as the regulated items on top of the 30-item inventory.

• What information should every business website have?
• Show your regulator and registration number online

What does the GPhC expect?

The GPhC's standards for registered pharmacies, and its guidance for services provided at a distance including online, expect pharmacies to make clear who they are and how patients can check their registration. Follow the current guidance closely if you supply medicines online.

• Websites for UK healthcare clinics

Which services should be listed?

List services patients look for: prescription collection and delivery, repeat prescription ordering, vaccinations, health checks, consultation services and minor ailment support. Give opening hours, including bank holidays, say whether appointments are needed for each service, and explain how to order or collect prescriptions outside normal hours.

• Holiday and seasonal opening hours on your website
• A 'how to book' page that removes the guesswork

What are the rules on promoting medicines?

Prescription-only medicines cannot be advertised to the public, and claims about any medicine or treatment must be accurate and comply with advertising rules. Online consultation services that prescribe may need separate regulation. Take advice before promoting medicines or treatments online.

• Inaccurate information on your website: the legal risk

What about patient data?

Online ordering and consultation forms collect health data, which is special category data under UK GDPR. Explain in your privacy notice how it is used and protected, and keep forms on secure pages. Patients need confidence before sharing health details.

• Tell clients how you protect their data
• What a UK website privacy policy must include

When is a simple site enough?

A simple site is enough for a community pharmacy that does not supply medicines online: registration details, services, hours, contact and directions. Additional guidance and regulation apply once you sell or prescribe at a distance.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see in community pharmacies: the website lists services but not the registration details or the superintendent pharmacist. Adding a short 'who we are' footer with registration and a register link is a quick fix that patients and regulators both value.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

Pharmacy website checklist

• Show GPhC registration details.
• Name the owner and superintendent pharmacist.
• Link to the register.
• List services and hours.
• Stay within medicines advertising rules.
• Protect health data in forms.

• What an optician's website should tell patients
• What a counsellor's website should include

Next step

Check that a patient could find your registration number and superintendent pharmacist from any page in one click.