Setting the bar on patient safety: Numan’s regulatory compliance

Following a recent article that made incorrect and sensationalist claims about operational practices at Numan, we wanted to set the record straight.

At Numan, “patients first” is our core value, meaning we place the safety and needs of our patients above any other facets of the business. We take pride in setting the highest standards in our industry for safety, security and compliance - consistently meeting and exceeding the required standards. We take regulatory adherence extremely seriously across the company, and we continually work with regulatory experts to ensure we are compliant and continue to stay so. 

Numan and our distribution partner, Numan Operational Limited (NOL), are regulated by the following bodies when it comes to how we provide our services and products to our patients:

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

• The CQC monitors, inspects and regulates services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and it publishes its findings, including performance ratings to help people choose care. The CQC assesses services on 5 domains: safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness to patients and quality of leadership. 

• Numan chose very early on to apply for registration to the CQC because Numan provides the advice and care that surrounds the prescription medicines and diagnostic results it delivers to patients. This goes far beyond simply sending diagnostics or medications out to patients.

• Patients can view, in the public domain, Numan's CQC inspection reports and ratings. Numan has consistently been rated as Good across all domains. These "Good" ratings  came after multiple in-person inspections that scrutinised in detail the clinical service to ensure patient safety and quality is embedded across the whole organisational culture at Numan.

• Therefore patients can be assured that Numan provides and continues to strive to further improve on; the highest standards in safety of the service, effective treatments. Numan listens and responds to patients queries and concerns, Numan puts patients first and cares about their experience and outcomes and finally Numan is a well led organisation that learns and implements improvements from incidents and complaints.

Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

As a marketeer and advertiser of healthcare solutions and programs Numan are regulated by the MHRA. 

• Numan are fully committed to following the various MHRA guides and codes as we constantly strive for advertising compliance. 

• The MHRA authorises licences for medications, the importation of medications, and the manufacture & distribution of medications. 

• For Numan's current activities, no licences, inspections, or audits are required. 

• The MHRA sets the requirements for the advertising of medicines. We are unwavering in our commitment to adhering to MHRA guidelines to ensure that all assets and communications are accurate, truthful, and fair. 

General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

• The GPhC is a statutory organisation set up by the UK and Scottish parliaments, that is independent of the government.  It is responsible for setting the standards for education and training, maintaining a legal register of pharmacy premises, Pharmacists and Pharmacy technicians.  

• Pharmacies and Pharmacists registered in Great Britain are regulated by the standards and guidance laid down by the General Pharmaceutical Council. The regulations are designed to ensure that patients receive appropriate, safe and effective medication to achieve a positive health outcome.

• As a pharmacy, Numan Operations Ltd (NOL) prioritises patient safety above all else. Adhering to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) rules is not just a requirement; it's our ethical obligation. 

• This principle is embedded in the culture of NOL. These guidelines ensure that we maintain the highest standards of practice, safeguarding the well-being of every individual we serve. By following these regulations diligently, we uphold trust, professionalism, and the fundamental principle of putting patients first.

• NOL is registered with, and inspected by, the GPhC with the premises registration number 9011408.

Registering as a Food Business Operators (FBO)

• The Food Business Operator is an organisation that sells, prepares, cooks or distributes food and drink. Registration is the submission of basic business information to the local authorities. 

• Registering as an FBO does not result in a ‘licence’ either being issued or withheld. It simply enters a company to the appropriate register of the local authority. 

• Although Numan cannot be considered as a food business in the truest sense, supplements are classified as a food and therefore our partner Numan Operations Limited, who procures and delivers our supplements, is registered as a food business operator.

All of these stringent regulatory standards have been consistently met and exceeded throughout the duration of Numan’s trading. We strive to go the extra mile to not only ensure but improve patient safety, and will continue to do so as we strive to help millions more people to improve their health.