The General Pharmaceutical Council is to consult on raising the fees it charges registrants, including raising pharmacists' entry and annual renewal fees from £250 to £257. A spokesperson told Pharmacy Magazine that the GPhC's rationale for raising its fees would be made public "in the next month" when the consultation launches.

In addition to the £7 fee rise for pharmacists, the GPhC will consult on raising pharmacy technicians' entry and renewal fees from £118 to £121 and increasing pharmacy premises fees by £21 from £241 to £262. The changes would be effective from 2019-20.

The GPhC says this is the first time the fee for registered pharmacies would be higher than that charged to pharmacists.

The proposals were agreed at a Council meeting on 11 October 2018. The GPhC says this is the first time a fee hike has been proposed since 2015, and that the proposed fees are still lower than those charged in 2011.

When asked by PM which aspects of the Council's functions the proposed fee increases are hoped to cover, a spokesperson responded that this will be made public in the consultation paper "which will be published in the next month".