Overview
A Pharmacy Technician is a professional registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and they play an integral part in helping patients to make the most of their medicines.
Pharmacy Technicians work under the guidance of a pharmacist although they are accountable for their own work as a registered professional. They can be involved in any part of the medicines supply from the adding of medicines onto repeat lists from discharge letters to the final checking of medications.
Scope of Practice
Role responsibilities
- Updating medication lists for patients following changes identified in discharge summaries
- Answer medicated related queries from patients and any other member of the team
- Medication reviews under pharmacist supervision
- Look at high cost and safety medication switches, particularly working with the Medicines Optimisation Teams (MOT)
- High risk drug monitoring
- CQC audits
- Looking at and actioning MHRA alerts, QOF targets
- Assisting the practice with aspects of the Medicines Optimisation Plan (MOP) or Prescribing Incentive Scheme (PIS)
- Impact and Investment Fund (IIF work including greener inhaler switches)
- The role is ever-changing for pharmacy technicians so now is an exciting time to be part of this profession.
Entry Requirements
- Any qualified Pharmacy Technician employed must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). All registered pharmacy technicians and pharmacists can be found on the GPhC website.
Trainee Pharmacy Technicians
Trainee Pharmacy technicians must undertake a two-year training course to register with the GPhC.
They must have an educational supervisor and access to a dispensary for dispensing and checking. The training may be single sector or cross sector. An example of cross sector placement for 12 weeks for each of the two years in order to complete the dispensing and checking modules).
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) lists approved course providers. Some training providers may have their qualification awarded by another approved provider so contact the Training Hub if you find any course providers which aren’t listed on the GPhC website.
National or regional funding may be available to train the Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (PTPT) under the apprenticeship training pathway. If funding is not available, the course fees can still be paid using an apprenticeship levy. The PTPT must be enrolled on an apprenticeship pathway to access this.
Please email the Training Hub for more information about the possible funding [email protected]
Training & Development
Mandatory Training
See above ‘Entry Requirements’
Standard Training (on entry to Primary Care)
Pharmacy technicians employed under the ARRS scheme must undertake or have already undertaken the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes Training Pathway for Pharmacy Professionals (MOCH) course or another approved course by the APTUK as meeting the requirements of the UK- wide APTUK/PCPA National Competency Framework for Primary Care Pharmacy Technicians. This information is specified in part B.2.1 C. of the Network Contract DES specification. Re-imbursement salaries and other information are found in the Network Contract DES Specification.
Primary care pharmacy education pathway : CPPE
Medicine optimisation in care homes pathway : CPPENational_Competency_Framework_for_PCPTs.pdf (aptuk.org)
Additional Training Opportunities
Further information regarding courses for pharmacy technicians are available from the links below
Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK)
CPPE – Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education
Supervision Requirements
Supervision is a process of professional learning and development that enables individuals to reflect on and develop their knowledge, skills and competence, through regular support from another professional.
It is recommended that Pharmacy Technicians have access to appropriate clinical supervision and an appropriate named individual in the PCN to provide general advice and support on a day-to-day basis. This would typically be a Clinical Pharmacist. Recommended minimum frequency of a 1 hour supervision meeting is usually monthly.
Supervision Guidance for primary care network multidisciplinary teams (NHSE, 2023)
Funding
AFC Band 5
100% of actual salary plus defined on costs covered via ARRS Scheme.
Training and Development Funding
Pharmacy Technicians may be entitled to national or regional NHSE commissioned funding to support their training and development requirements. Please contact the training hub for more information on this.
Additional Resources
Revalidation
Every time a pharmacy professional renews their registration with GPhC, they will need to submit records to show they how they have carried out and recorded revalidation activities. You will need to complete;
- Four CPD Records (two of which must be planned events)
- One peer discussion record
- One reflective account record
Medicines Optimisation Teams
Suffolk and North East Essex (SNEE) Integrated Care Board (ICB) have Medicines Optimisation Teams in all three alliances. Register free with the SNEE ICB website to access clinical guidelines, formularies, position statements, and more.
Suffolk and North East Essex (SNEE) Training Hub employs a pharmacist ambassador who can support with any queries, please email [email protected] to make contact.
News
Training Programme for Educational Supervisors for PTPTs
NHSE have commissioned free training with ProPharmace for Pharmacy Technicians to supervise PTPTs.