Membership terms and conditions

Royal College of Pharmacy Membership terms and conditions

Updated 22 April 2026

These terms and conditions (“Terms”), together with RCPharm’s governing documents which are the Royal Charter and Supplemental Charter, Regulations and Standing Orders, govern your membership with RCPharm.

By applying for membership, you confirm that you have read and understood these Terms and the governing documents and agree to comply with them in full.

1. About the Royal College of Pharmacy (“RCPharm”)

1.1 RCPharm is the professional leadership body for pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists with the mission to put pharmacy at the forefront of patient care.

1.2 RCPharm is registered in England and Wales as a Royal Charter Body. RCPharm’s Board of Trustees is responsible for the management, direction and control of RCPharm’s affairs.

1.3 RCPharm has voting members and non-voting members – respectively known as Members and Associate Members as set out in our Royal Charter and Regulations. Our Regulations detail various sub-categories of Associate Member Unless otherwise stated, where we refer to “member(s)” and “membership” in these Terms, this covers all categories of membership.

1.4 Our Royal Charter, supplementeded by Regulations and Standing Orders, govern how the College operates. References to these governing documents in these Terms are to the latest versions as amended from time to time. In the event of a conflict between these documents and the Terms, the following order of precedence applies: (1) Royal Charter (2) Regulations (3) Standing Orders and (4) these Terms.

1.5 Links to key documents mentioned in these Terms, including the governing documents, can be found on our website.

2. Definitions

“Client Information Letter” means the policy document outlining the terms, conditions and details of your professional indemnity insurance coverage.

“Consumer” means any member of the RCPharm that is using the Membership Services for purposes wholly or mainly outside of their own pharmacy trade or profession, including pharmacy students or people that have retired or left the pharmacy profession.

“Contract Year” means 12-month period starting on the date your initial Membership Fee is paid or any Renewal Date.

“Membership Fee” as defined in clause 8.1.

“Membership Application Form” means the form as designated by RCPharm from time to time which is to be completed in order to apply to be a member of RCPharm.

“Pharmacy Professional” means any member of the RCPharm that is using the Membership Services for the purposes of their own pharmacy trade or profession, including registered pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists and foundation trainee pharmacists.

“Register” means the pharmacy register maintained by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

“RCPharm” means the Royal College of Pharmacy, a Royal Charter Body with registration number RC000799 whose principal office is at 66 East Smithfield London E1W 1AW, RCPharm is also referred to as “we”, “us”, “our” in these Terms.

3. Becoming an RCPharm member

3.1 In order to apply become a member you must (a) complete our Membership Application Form; and (b) make payment of the applicable Membership Fee.

3.2 We can approve or reject an application to become a member or offer membership for a different membership category. We will email you to confirm that we have received your application and then will contact you again (normally within [ Business Days) to confirm whether your Membership Application Form has been accepted. If your application is rejected, we will refund any Membership Fee you have paid.

3.3 The membership eligibility criteria are set out in the Royal Charter and Regulations (and any associated documents issued by RCPharm from time to time).

3.4 You must meet the eligibility requirements relevant to the category of membership that you are applying for. If you do not meet the eligibility requirements your application will not be accepted and, as stated in clause 3.2, your Membership Fee will be refunded.

3.5 Where relevant to your category of membership, we may check your eligibility for a category of membership with another organisation such as the General Pharmaceutical Council (“GPhC”) or the British Pharmacy Student’s Association (“BPSA”). Your personal data will be shared with the GPhC and/or BPSA for these purposes – for more information see our Privacy Policy (see clause 18 for the link).

3.6 If you are on the Register and are (a) subject to any sanctions by the GPhC or (b) undergoing any formal review of Your professional standing, we reserve the right not to accept your application for membership or to put your application on hold until the GPhC make a final decision. If your application is placed on hold, it does not mean that Your application will be subsequently unsuccessful. More information is set out in our Regulations.

3.7 You must notify RCPharm as soon as possible if, at any time during your membership, you cease to meet the eligibility requirements for your membership category.

4. Membership Services

4.1 If we accept your application and you pay your Membership Fee, we will enable your access to the membership services, specific to your membership category (“Membership Services”). Subject to clause 10 (Cancellation and Termination of Membership & Refund of Membership Fees) below, as many of these Membership Services are digital subscription services, once you begin accessing these services you will not be entitled to a refund of Your Membership Fee as set out below.

4.2 All members can access professional advice via our RCPharm Pharmacist Support Line. Any advice that you receive from RCPharm (which includes telephone advice, responses to any submission made by you via our online enquiry form and responses to any email queries) or other communications is provided to you subject to the relevant terms and conditions (see clause 18 for the link). By submitting an enquiry via any of the methods mentioned above, you agree to accept those additional terms and conditions.

5. RCPharm Additional Services

We may offer additional products and services to members and to the pharmacy profession and public. These will be subject to the additional advertised terms and conditions and if you purchase any additional goods or services from us, you must pay the additional fees as advertised.

6. Membership Card & Certificate

6.1 We will send you a membership card and certificate when you become a member of RCPharm. You will be sent a replacement card every time you renew your membership.

6.2 Your membership card and certificate are not endorsements to practise as a pharmacist nor can either be used as proof of your good professional standing or entitle you to special privileges other than as made available through RCPharm.

6.3 Membership cards and certificates remain the property of RCPharm

7. Inclusion in the RCPharm professional liability insurance scheme

7.1 If you are a Pharmacy Professional, when you apply to become a member of RCPharm you will have the option to apply to include professional indemnity insurance cover as part of your membership. We will confirm to you the relevant Membership Fee that includes this cover. This service is provided by our wholly owned trading subsidiary Royal College of Pharmacy Enterprises Limited.

7.2 If your application requests to include professional liability insurance cover from our third party provider, we or our trading subsidiary will share your information with our broker, Aon, who will also share your data with DACB, Segment Risk and the insurer. If your application to be included in the RCPharm member insurance scheme is approved, you will receive a Client Information Letter when your application for insurance cover is approved.

7.3 You will have 14 days from the date of your application to become a member to cancel your application in respect of the insurance cover element.

7.4 For the avoidance of doubt, if You are a Consumer, the option to include professional indemnity insurance cover will not be available or necessary as part of your membership, given you will not be actively providing professional services.

8. Membership Fees

8.1 When you become a member, you agree to pay an annual subscription fee for the Membership Services we will provide (“the Membership Fee”) during the whole duration of your 12 month membership term. The applicable Membership Fee for all categories of membership will be published on our website annually.

8.2 Payments of your Membership Fee can be made through Direct Debit, online card payment portal or bank transfer. You must ensure that you provide up-to-date bank details and have sufficient funds in your account to be taken by direct debit. If you opt to pay through online card payment portal or bank transfer, your first annual payment must be paid in full at the time you submit your application. If you opt to pay your membership fee by Direct Debit instalments on a monthly basis, you are agreeing to pay the full amount for the whole membership term. Monthly membership is not offered.

8.3 If You choose to pay your Membership Fee in instalments by Direct Debit, your first payment shall be taken approximately three working days after the date your membership application is accepted by us in writing. We will automatically renew your membership every 12 months on the day after the anniversary of the previous payment date (“Renewal Date”) unless You tell us not to in writing or you cancel the payment instruction with your bank at the end of your current membership term and when you have paid all the membership fees due. Your rights relating to this type of payment instruction are protected separately by the Direct Debit Guarantee.

8.4 We may offer a discount on Membership Fees for those paying by annual Direct Debit as this encourages the most efficient means of payment for RCPharm and allows RCPharm to predict cash flow through incentivising regular payments.

8.5 Where part of the Membership Fee includes a premium for professional liability insurance from our third party insurance provider, this premium is non-refundable should you cancel your membership as set out in clause 10 below or discontinue your direct debit payments. However, your insurance cover will cease on the date that cancellation of your membership or cessation of your payments takes effect.

8.6 We will confirm the relevant terms for Your chosen payment method over the phone or by email before we debit Your account.

8.7 If the rate of VAT changes between your application date and the date we accept your application, we adjust the rate of VAT that you pay, unless you have already paid in full before the change in the rate of VAT takes effect.

8.8 Any disputes regarding Membership Fees must be raised by you in writing within 30 days of the date of payment. We will review any disputed payments and respond within 14 Business Days. Refunds, if applicable, will be processed within 10 Business Days.

8.9 We are allowed to change the Membership Fee on an annual basis, provided we notify you at least 30 days before this change applies. If you are Consumer, you will have the right to terminate your membership before the change takes effect and receive a refund of any Membership Fees you have paid for in advance for Membership Services not yet received.

9. Membership Duration and Renewal

9.1 Your membership shall begin on the date on which your application for membership was accepted by us or payment of your Membership Fee received, whichever is later.

9.2 Your Membership Fee is due each year on the Renewal Date. Unless otherwise terminated or cancelled in accordance with clause 8.9 (Termination for increase in Membership Fees) or clause 10 (Cancellation and Termination of Membership & Refund of Membership Fees), your membership will automatically renew every 12 months on the Renewal Date, provided that your required Membership Fee is paid to RCPharm on the Renewal Date.

9.3 We will send you a payment reminder that your Membership Fee is due at least 30 days prior to the Renewal Date – if you pay by Direct Debit you will also receive advance notice of the payment due from our provider GoCardless. If you are a Consumer, you will also receive an email reminder that your Membership Fee is due 14 days prior to the Renewal Date.

9.4 If your payment is not received by the Renewal Date, your membership will automatically terminate. Membership Services will be withdrawn, and if you are a voting member, you will no longer be able to vote.

9.5 If your membership terminates in accordance with clause 9.4 and you wish to re-join you may be required to complete a new application, unless RCPharm determines otherwise at its sole discretion.

10. Cancellation and Termination of Membership & Refund of Membership Fees

Your cancellation of your membership

10.1 If your application to become a member is not accepted we will refund any Membership Fee already paid, unless you are a Pharmacy Professional and have already benefitted from Membership Services.

10.2 If You no longer wish to be a member you may cancel your membership in writing (by letter to Membership Team, Royal College of Pharmacy, 66-68 East Smithfield, London, E1W 1AW or email to [email protected] ). RCPharm will provide a notice acknowledging the fact that you have cancelled your membership within 3 Business Days of receiving any email cancellation notification or within 3 Business Days of a notification given in any other way.

10.3 If you are a Consumer and you submit a cancellation request within 14 days of becoming a member, you will be entitled to a full refund of any Membership Fee paid, as long as you have not started to use our membership services, including professional indemnity insurance.

10.4 If you are a Consumer and you submit a cancellation request within 14 days of any Renewal Date on which your membership has automatically renewed, you will also be entitled to a full refund of any Membership Fee paid in respect of that renewal as long as you have not started to use our membership services, including professional indemnity insurance.

10.5 Members on Direct Debit who wish to cancel should do so at least ten Business Days before the direct debit is due, either through RCPharm or their bank, otherwise the direct debit will still be processed and then refunded if applicable. Members who have elected to pay their Membership Fee in monthly instalments may need to pay the full balance on cancellation.

Our termination of your membership

10.6 Your membership will terminate immediately in the following circumstances:

(a) if you fail to pay your Membership Fees by any Renewal Date;

(b) pursuant to the Regulations or Standing Orders, you are found to be in serious breach of these Terms or any of our governing documents and the process outlined in these governing documents has been followed to terminate your membership;

Consequences of cancellation or termination of your membership

10.7 Once termination or cancellation of Your membership is effective, you are not entitled to access, make use of or otherwise benefit from the Membership Services. For the avoidance of doubt this includes the use of any post-nominal letters.

10.8 You will not be entitled to a refund of any Membership Fees already paid except as set out in this clause 10 or unless we make an error in which case we will refund the erroneous payment.

Suspension of your membership

10.9 We may suspend your membership in accordance with our Standing Orders in which case You will not be entitled to access, make use of or otherwise benefit from any Membership Services during the period that you are suspended.

11. Contact Information

11.1 Any notice given to you in relation to these Terms may be given in writing, including to an email address or postal address provided by you.

11.2 You can contact RCPharm at [email protected] or 66-68 East Smithfield London E1W 1AW, including if you think there is something wrong with your Membership Services.

12. We can change Membership Services and these Terms

12.1 RCPharm may change these Terms and/or your Membership Services to reflect changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements or to make minor technical adjustments and improvements which don’t affect your use of the Membership Services.

12.2 RCPharm may also make changes to these Terms and/or your Membership Services for any other reason, provided that it will aim to notify you at least 30 Business Days before such change takes effect. If you are Consumer, you will have the right to terminate your membership before the change takes effect and receive a refund of any Membership Fees you have paid for in advance but not received.

13. Intellectual Property

13.1 RCPharm is the owner and/or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in RCPharm’s name, branding, and logo(s), RCPharm’s website and all intellectual property rights in the material published on it and in any materials supplied to you as part of the Membership Services. You agree to assist RCPharm with any requests to sign documents or carry out actions which are reasonably necessary to ensure that we own the intellectual property rights in any material you provide to RCPharm and which is published on RCPharm’s website. As applicable, those works are protected by copyright laws and treaties around the world. All such rights are reserved.

13.2 Membership does not give you any right to use RCPharm’s intellectual property rights, including RCPharm’s name and logo(s), unless you are expressly authorised in writing.

13.3 You shall not in any way commercially exploit any materials supplied to you as part of the Membership Services.

13.4 You shall not allow any third party to use any materials supplied to you as part of the Membership Services, unless RCPharm has authorised this in writing.

14. Personal Information

14.1 By becoming a member you agree RCPharm can use your personal information as set out in RCPharm’s privacy policy and paragraph 3.5 (Becoming an RCPharm Member) and 7.2 (Inclusion in the RCPharm professional liability insurance scheme) of these Terms (as amended from time to time). We and companies without our corporate group will only process your personal data in accordance with our privacy policy.

15. Our responsibility for loss or damage suffered by you

15.1 References to liability in this clause 15.1 include every kind of liability arising in connection with these Terms including liability in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, misrepresentation or otherwise.

15.2 We do not exclude or limit our liability to you in any way that would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors and for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

15.3 If you are a Consumer and any defective digital content that we have supplied, damages a device or digital content belonging to You and this is caused by our failure to use reasonable care and skill, we will either repair the damage or pay you compensation.

15.4 Subject to clauses 15.2 and 15.3, we will not be liable for losses of profits, sales, business or revenue, business interruption, loss, disruption or damage to any data, information or software, loss of anticipated savings, loss of business opportunity, goodwill or reputation, or any losses reasonably foreseeable to both parties when you accept these Terms.

15.5 Subject to clause 15.1 RCPharm’s total liability to you in connection with these Terms in respect of all claims arising within a Contract Year shall not exceed the lesser of £270.00 or 100% of the total Membership Fees paid by you to RCPharm for the Membership Services in that Contract Year.

15.6 RCPharm does not give any representations, warranties or undertakings in relation to the Membership Services and does not guarantee any particular outcome or result. Any representation, condition or warranty which might be implied or incorporated into these Terms by statute, by common law or otherwise are, to the fullest extent permitted by law, excluded from the Terms.

15.7 This clause 15 will still apply if you cease to be a member.

16.We’re not responsible for delays outside our control

If RCPharm’s performance of any of its obligations under these Terms is delayed by an event outside its control, RCPharm will contact you as soon as possible to let you know and do what it can to reduce the delay. If RCPharm does this, it won’t compensate you for the delay. If you are a consumer and the delay is likely to be substantial, you may contact RCPharm to terminate your membership and receive a pro-rata refund of your Membership Fee for the months you have paid for in advance but not received. If you are a medical professional and the delay continues for a continuous period of more than four (4) weeks, you may terminate your membership by giving 4 weeks’ written notice to RCPharm.

17. Governing Law

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the courts of England & Wales have exclusive jurisdiction to resolve any such disputes or claims (contractual or otherwise) except that if you are a Consumer and you are a resident in either Northern Ireland or Scotland you may also bring proceedings in Northern Ireland or Scotland as appropriate.