NPA and NES launch pharmacist assistant training scheme

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) is to help NHS Education for Scotland (NES) launch a  distance learning resource aimed at pharmacist assistants based in Scottish community pharmacies.

Intended for existing patient facing pharmacy staff, the resource offers training to support these professionals' extended role assisting pharmacists in delivering services under the community pharmacy contract.

It covers roles relating to the Minor Ailment Service, the Chronic Medication Service and the Public Health Service, as well as IT and communication skills and the importance of following standard operating procedures.

The entire course takes ten hours to complete and is followed by a short online multiple choice questionnaire to test knowledge.

Janice Oman, the NPA's representation manager for Scotland, said: "We know that many pharmacists are under a great amount of pressure in terms of workload. The pharmacist assistant course aims to ease this pressure by training medicines counter assistants to have an extended supporting role."

Last week, the NPA responded to the Scottish parliament health and sport committee's inquiry into teenage pregnancy by highlighting the role community pharmacies can play in tackling this issue.