GPhC launches pharmacy technician fellowship with NHS England

GPhC launches pharmacy technician fellowship

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) will look for a pharmacy technician to provide 'professional leadership and advice' as it considers how the profession could do more to support patient healthcare.

The role is a one-year fellowship, co-hosted with NHS England (NHSE), and is open to experienced pharmacy technicians from any sector.

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Chief pharmacy officer at the GPhC, Roz Gittins, said the regulator was 'looking for an individual who is ready to work in a new way, providing professional leadership and advice relating to where pharmacy technicians can add value to national healthcare priorities'.

And Liz Fidler, senior professional advisor for pharmacy technician practice at the office of the NHSE chief pharmaceutical officer (CPhO), said the fellow would be working across organisations and supporting key projects.

She said the role was intended to enable 'pharmacy technician professional practice to develop further and boost patients’ access to clinical services'.

Ms Fidler told prospective applicants: 'As well as your knowledge, experience and skills, your attitude to embracing what a unique fellowship like this can offer will be integral to the recruitment process.'

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She also highlighted an upcoming webinar on the evening of 21 January that would provide more detail about the role and recruitment process.

As of June last year, registered pharmacy technicians have been able to supply medicines under patient group directions (PGDs) from 26 June, after legislation was amended.

And proposed changes to supervision legislation could see pharmacy technicians allowed to dispense or supervise dispensing if given prior authorisation to do so by the pharmacist. The government has conducted a consultation on the legislative changes relating to supervision, but it is yet to publish its response.

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Amid changes to professional practice for both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, the GPhC plans to make all education, training and assessment programmes subject to a 'six-yearly reaccreditation cycle with a three-year interim event’.

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