GPhC sets out expectations for cross‑entity hub and spoke operators

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published a thematic review setting out recommendations for pharmacy owners and superintendent pharmacists operating hub and spoke dispensing across different legal entities.

While many pharmacies have demonstrated ‘strong practices’ – particularly in automation and business continuity – ‘further improvements’ are needed, said GPhC chief pharmacy officer Roz Gittings.

Regulatory changes that took effect on 1 October allow community pharmacies to enter hub and spoke arrangements with separate businesses for the first time – provided they meet the relevant requirements and have a written agreement in place.

The review outlines expectations around governance, risk management, patient communication, audit and professional accountability. It includes recommendations on service‑level agreements, standard operating procedures (SOPs), data handling and application of the responsible pharmacist role at both hub and spoke premises.

Related Article: Northern Ireland to make paper prescriptions ‘a thing of the past’

Pharmacy owners are advised to carry out a documented risk assessment before starting services, supported by SOPs that define responsibilities at each stage. Audits should be built in from the outset, the GPhC advises, with processes for reporting and learning from dispensing incidents and near misses.

Patients should be told when their prescription will be dispensed by another business and given the option to opt out.

When operating across different legal entities, spokes must display a notice – and include it on their website or app where applicable – informing patients that their medications will be dispensed via a hub pharmacy.

Medicine labels must include only the spoke address, not the hub address, in line with legal requirements for cross‑entity arrangements.

Written agreements between hub and spoke partners should clearly set out how the service will operate, including escalation procedures, clinical checks, complaints handling, and the management of controlled drugs and product recalls.

Further expectations cover business continuity planning, indemnity arrangements and regulatory compliance at all premises involved.

Related Article: Upcoming workforce plan must recognise pharmacy teams are essential to neighbourhood healthcare

Ms Gittings said: ‘We would encourage everyone who is already using hub and spoke dispensing, or is considering using it in the future, to carefully consider our recommendations and how they could be implemented. The examples of good practice and insights we’ve shared will help pharmacies using the hub and spoke model to consistently meet our standards for registered pharmacies.’

The review draws on a thematic analysis of 55 pharmacy inspections conducted between July 2023 and June 2025, which found variation in how the model is being implemented. In some cases, oversight was lacking, documentation was out of date or incomplete, and there was little evidence of learning being shared between hub and spoke.

Of the 27 inspections that took place, only 20 sites met the requirements for standards met. Of the seven that did not meet the standards, one was a routine inspection and six were inspections of newly registered pharmacies.

Shilpa Patel, a pharmacist and senior practice manager at WellBN GP Surgery, was concerned that hub and spoke dispensing would reduce the personal connection between pharmacists and patients, which could mean fewer opportunities to offer advice or spot medicine issues.

‘There’s also the risk that relying heavily on technology could cause problems if communication between the hub and spoke breaks down, or if there are errors in the system,’ she added.

Related Article: Hay fever 101: what pharmacist need to know about pollen

However, she also pointed out the potential benefits of the system, such as freeing up time for pharmacists to focus on patient care, improving efficiency, and saving costs. ‘I believe with the right setup, this model will streamline processes without losing the core focus on patient safety and care.’

The full review of hub and spoke dispensing is available on the GPhC website.