The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has appointed a new business partner to help more of its members offer non-clinical apprenticeships.

Ofsted-approved training provider Qube Learning will be able to support contractors 'considering taking on a customer service apprentice or upskilling an existing employee with a leadership or management apprenticeship', the NPA said last week (7 March).

Demand for support with non-clinical apprenticeships was revealed by member feedback in recent months, they added.

An NPA spokesperson told The Pharmacist: 'Recruiting an apprentice can be really beneficial for pharmacies.'

The spokesperson added that apprentices will be skilled even before finishing their training thanks to sector involvement in developing the apprenticeship standards for pharmacy. Training can be tailored to suit the needs of each pharmacy, they said.

They added: 'Employers that already pay into a levy pot accumulate large sums and if not used that money can be lost after two years. It could instead be invested in an apprenticeship programme to develop the non-clinical skills of an existing colleague, which can prove to be a worthwhile investment benefiting the team, the balance sheet and ultimately patients.'