The vision of the South African Pharmacy Council ("Council"), in serving the public interest and in terms of its statutory obligation, is to ensure that pharmaceutical services are the best to meet the health care needs of the people. The vital element in this vision is the commitment of the pharmacy profession to promote excellence in practice for the benefit of those they serve. The public and other professions will judge the pharmacy profession on how that commitment is translated into the practice they observe.

The education and training of pharmacists in South Africa must equip them for the roles they have to undertake in practice and be in line with the unit standards for entry-level pharmacists accepted by Council. Within the necessary basis of pharmaceutical sciences there must thus be adequate emphasis on the action and uses of medicines, a reasonable introduction to disease states and the relevant elements of the social and behavioural sciences. At all stages, the development and improvement of communication skills should be given due emphasis.

All practising pharmacists are obliged to ensure that the service they provide is of high quality and complies with Good Pharmacy Practice Standards as published by Council in rules. This document (Good Pharmacy Practice in South Africa) indicates how that obligation can be met. Good Pharmacy Practice is obligatory in terms of section 35A of the Pharmacy Act 53 of 1974, as amended ('the Pharmacy Act'), regulation 20(1) of the Regulations Relating to the Practice of Pharmacy and regulation 7(a) of the Regulations Relating to the Ownership and Licensing of Pharmacies published in terms of the Pharmacy Act as well as regulation 18(7)(b) of the General Regulations published in terms of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965, as amended (the 'Medicines Act').