Facilitated self-selection of pharmacy medicines

Position Statement

RPS crestRPS is supportive of the adoption of models that enable the facilitated self-selection of Pharmacy (P) medicines, where a community pharmacy chooses to implement such models. When setting up these services, pharmacy owners, superintendent pharmacists (SI) and their teams must consider good practice guidance.

Pharmacies that operate a facilitated self-selection model must meet regulatory standards, all staff involved must be appropriately trained and supported, robust processes need to be in place and the Responsible Pharmacist (RP) must have confidence that the processes in place ensure any identified risks are mitigated or minimised and patient safety is maintained.

This model may not be suitable to operate in all pharmacies.

The facilitated self-selection of pharmacy (P) medicines must operate in an environment that is compliant with all regulatory standards and one which assures public and patient safety.

Regulatory standards must be met at all times and professional guidance should be followed. The superintendent pharmacist (SI) must ensure arrangements are in place so that patient safety is maintained and that pharmacy team members involved in the facilitated self-selection of P meds are trained to the appropriate level and know when to refer patients.  

Where pharmacies operate a model that enables the facilitated self-selection of P medicines, the Responsible Pharmacist (RP) must be confident that processes are in place to ensure they are able to appropriately supervise sales of P-Medicines. 

Published: July 2025

FACILITATED SELF-SELECTION PHARMACY GUIDE

Explanation

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) acknowledges that the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has adopted an outcome-based approach to standards, which has enabled the facilitated self-selection of P medicines. This has led to pharmacies adopting a more flexible approach to the sale and selection of P medicines. The GPhC has also produced an FAQ on the self-selection and open display of Pharmacy medicines. 

RPS, as the professional leadership body for pharmacists, supports innovation and new models of care that continue to ensure patient safety is maintained, and provides professional guidance for pharmacists. This position statement, along with the accompanying professional guidance, recognises changes in practice and supports both the pace of change in delivery of healthcare together with those pharmacists and their wider teams delivering it.

Representation was made to the three national boards of the RPS in June 2024 and consensus achieved on how this professional issue would be addressed. Led by the Chief Scientist at RPS, the Science and Research Team undertook a programme of work. A call for evidence survey opened for eight weeks from July to September 2024 and, in parallel, a literature review was conducted. The findings are pre-print and currently under peer review.*

The findings are currently being peer-reviewed and were presented to the three national boards in February 2025 and will be published once the peer review process has been completed. The elected members acknowledged that the facilitated self-selection of P medicines is already in operation within some community pharmacies.

Taking into consideration the evidence presented, the conclusion of the boards is that this model must be operated within safe parameters that ensure no negative impact on patient safety and must retain the professional autonomy of the responsible pharmacist (RP).

The national boards committed the RPS to develop professional guidance and resources for those who wish to operate under a model that enables the facilitated self-selection of P medicines.

In addition, the RPS recommends:

  • Ongoing research into the risks and benefits of the facilitated self-selection of P medicines in real-world practice
  • Implementation of mandatory training for pharmacy teams operating this model, including the identification and management of risk from P medicine self-selection
  • Exploration and adoption of the use of technological solutions to flag high-risk P medicines, minimise inappropriate sales and support safe and effective care for people independent of the model used.

RPS will collaborate with other organisations to support safe implementation of the self-selection of P medicines, including a public campaign to support the role of community pharmacy in self-care.

Summary of evidence

Medicines are the most common intervention in healthcare, and their classification in the UK is overseen by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Medicines are categorised into three main groups: prescription-only medicines (POMs), P medicines and general sales list (GSL) medicines.

POMs require a prescription from a healthcare professional, while P medicines can be sold without a prescription but only from a pharmacy under the supervision of a pharmacist. GSL medicines are available for purchase in general retail outlets without the need for a pharmacist's supervision.

Pharmacists and their teams play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and effective use of medicines. They perform a crucial role as the first point of contact for people to access healthcare; dispensing medication, providing counselling and ensuring that medicines are used appropriately and optimise outcomes from treatment.

These new models have the potential to improve access to P medicines, thereby removing barriers to care. The RPS continues to support the wide use of OTC medicines and has long campaigned for the wider access to self-care treatment, working closely with the Self-care Forum to help drive a self-care agenda in government. The RPS recognise the huge value that self-care and treatment can provide to patients and the public, and support patients having greater access and information to self-care treatments.

* Ross LS, Guirguis A, Tang W, Wilson L, Jones E, Davies J, Ashiru-Oredope D. The risks and benefits associated with the self-selection of pharmacy medicines (PMEDs): A rapid systematic review
medRxiv 2025.07.12.25331435; doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.12.25331435

Further information on Responsible Pharmacist can be found in our pharmacy guide.