Background
NHS England commissions the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) to provide compulsory training for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians whose salaries are being supported with the Additional Role Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) funding. This training pathway is the Primary care pharmacy education pathway.
NHS England has agreed that places remaining for a cohort not taken by pharmacy professionals in ARRS funded roles can be made available to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in non-PCN roles in GP practices or care homes if their employer agrees to provide the necessary support.
Who is eligible for the training programme?
The training is for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who want to develop or advance their skills and knowledge to deliver patient-facing medicines optimisation and other services in general practice and care homes settings.
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must meet the following criteria:
• Be already working in a patient-facing primary care role for a minimum of about 0.5 wte (2.5 18.75 hours per week) in a GP practice or care home setting. Any less than this and the number of days study leave becomes a burden for the practice.
• Have the support of their employer who agrees to:
- release the pharmacist or pharmacy technician for 28 days of protected learning time for face-to-face events during the pathway, regardless of the number of days per week they are working
- provide a GP (or other medic) clinical supervisor for pharmacists OR an experienced pharmacist clinical supervisor for pharmacy technicians. Each pharmacist or pharmacy technician should receive a minimum of one clinical supervision session per month and have access to the clinical supervisor during the course of the working week to address urgent issues. There is a handbook for clinical supervisors on the CPPE website which explains the role. Clinical supervisors would be expected to take part in the CPPE clinical supervisor training (two short online workshops).
- ensuring the pharmacy professional’s role includes patient-facing work
- support the pharmacy professional with travelling expenses for pathway events
- support the pharmacist through their independent prescribing training at the end of the CPPE pathway (including the supervision required) if they are not already independent prescribers
- Be able to attend face to face events, including residential study days over the 18 months and be able to stay overnight for the residential events
- Be able to commit to studying in their own time for up to 30 days during the pathway, as well as attending
all the pathway events.
How long is the training and what does it cover?
The training is an 18-month workplace-based model for pharmacists and 15-months for pharmacy technicians. Find out more on the CPPE website.
How do pharmacists or pharmacy technicians and their employers apply for the training?
Pharmacy professionals apply for the training through the CPPE website and must upload a completed CPPE supporting statement form where it asks for the proof of employment as well as a CV. The supporting statement form can be downloaded from the CPPE website.
This form must include a description of why the pharmacist or pharmacy technician would benefit from the training pathway and how the employer is planning to support the development of the pharmacist’s patient-facing role (no more than 200 words).
Applications can be made at any time but they will not be approved until CPPE knows that there are places remaining for the cohort which will be about two weeks before the start of the cohort.
How will a learner’s training be supervised?
CPPE will provide education supervision and clinical mentorship to learners and ensure that supervisory arrangements strongly support the educational and practical elements of the training. Education supervisors will be pharmacy professionals with the appropriate skills and experience. Clinical mentors will be pharmacists with relevant skills and experience; they act as assessors and will be available to pharmacy professionals requiring additional support.
Why should pharmacists and pharmacy technicians take part in this training pathway?
CPPE has developed this training pathway to equip pharmacy professionals with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to meet the competencies required for their roles in primary care. The pathway will enable them to be patient-facing and person-centred practitioners who are integrated into the multidisciplinary team, with the aim of improving patient access to primary care and supporting and empowering patients to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
They will have:
- enhanced knowledge and improved skills to work effectively and provide person-centred care
- greater capability to deliver care in changing service models
- improved confidence and resilience, demonstrable leadership skills and behaviours in approach to patient care
- become part of the integrated multidisciplinary team in primary care networks and work with partners who support their work
- ability to train other members of the multidisciplinary team
- greater visibility and recognition of the pharmacy professionals’ contribution to patient care
- greater opportunity for career progression and advancement in clinical pharmacy service delivery.
The employers and the NHS will benefit from:
- improved continuity of care
- improvements in patient outcomes, safety and wellbeing
- improved communication between professionals providing healthcare in the primary care system
- reduced hospital and emergency department admissions
- reduced reliance on hospital care
- early identification of pharmaceutical care needs as part of holistic integrated programme
- delivery of the Primary Care Network directed enhanced service
The pathway will help pharmacy professionals working in primary care to:
- develop their consultation skills and promote shared decision making
- perform clinical patient-facing roles
- work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- provide leadership on person-centred medicines optimisation and integration into the wider healthcare teams
- be part of a professional clinical network with access to appropriate clinical supervision
- receive support and supervision to allow them to do their job safely and confidently.
Contact details
More information about the Primary care pharmacy education pathway can be found on the CPPE website or by emailing primarycare@cppe.ac.uk.
