Pre-registration pharmacists to take part in pilot scheme

Pre-registration pharmacist trainees and tutors in England, Scotland and Wales will be asked to take part in a pilot scheme this summer.

The programme is being launched to find out whether or not training standards are being met.

Funded by the Department of Health, the collaboration between the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) and the University of Keele will be able to help the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) form future guidance.
The results will be presented to the GPhC when it establishes its standards for training and education early next year, explained RPSGB’s head of research and development Sue Ambler.

“It is anticipated that, as in medicine, the regulator will collect and analyse data routinely to monitor implementation of its standards,” she added, concluding it was an important pilot for the industry.

The findings will be completed by the end of 2009 and recommendations will be put forward regarding how future surveys should be conducted.

In other news, pharmacy technicians will be regulated for the first time by the RPSGB on a statuary basis when legislation comes into force today (July 1st).