From pre-reg to foundation training
Find out more about the changes to the foundation training year on our dedicated website
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Information for employers
Employers in community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy partner with general practices to host trainee pharmacists as part of this foundation training programme.
This is part of a national programme enabling trainee pharmacists to undertake three to six-month placements in general practice as part of their foundation training year.
These innovative placements have proved hugely successful, attracting an 83% fill rate compared to the national average of 51% in 2021. A total of 570 trainees will join the programme in summer 2023.
In January 2021 The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) published the revised Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists. HEE has been working with partners to support programmes that deliver against these new standards. More information can be found on our Foundation Training Year web pages.
If you have any questions please contact us via GPPreRegPharm@hee.nhs.uk.
“Due to the variety of our trainees' experiences working across community and general practice, they seem to enjoy and appreciate both working environments. They also develop a greater variety of skills they can use in both settings. Generally, our trainees are clearly much happier and well-motivated” Khalid Khan – Imaan Pharmacy
Trainees can be hosted by partnerships between a pharmacy employer from a hospital pharmacy or community pharmacy and general practice, to deliver the joint foundation training programme.
The general practice must employ a clinical pharmacist in a patient-facing role to act as a joint designated supervisor for the trainee alongside the pharmacist supervisor in the pharmacy site.
You may find more information on designated supervisors including the suitability policy here.
There are a significant number of benefits for all host sites, including:
- Developing a pharmacist workforce capable of working across the healthcare system
- Better prepared to deliver enhanced and advanced services in community pharmacy
- Better able to undertake a role in general practice
- Improved understanding of the transfer of care issues and how to support patients as they transition between care settings
- Enhanced relationship development between partner sites
- Trainee can educate colleagues (in all sites) regarding barriers and difficulties regarding communication and transfer of care
- Increased attractiveness for trainees (Oriel fill rate for split pre-registration places in 2019/2020 was 90%)
- Promoting the role of pharmacists in general practice as part of a portfolio career, supporting future recruitment for all sectors
- Trainees will develop a broader skillset, allowing them to better support service delivery in all care settings
- In general practice, although the trainees will be supernumerary, they will support service delivery – particularly those who undertake a 6-month placement, e.g: carrying out audit/service improvement, supporting the practice pharmacist with medicines reconciliation, answering medicines queries, and medication review.
“Due to the variety of our trainees experience working across community and general practice, they seem to enjoy and appreciate both working environments. They also develop a greater variety of skills they can use in both settings. Generally our trainees are clearly much happier and well-motivated” Khalid Khan – Imaan Pharmacy
The role of the pharmacist is continuously evolving and therefore their training must adapt to provide trainees with the knowledge and skills they will need throughout their career.
Pharmacists are increasingly involved in the autonomous delivery of patient care in both the community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy setting. Hosting trainees as part of this programme will allow trainees to develop a broader skillset, better enabling them to take up these autonomous roles later in their career.
Pharmacists are also increasingly working as part of general practice/primary care network teams and this programme gives trainees the opportunity to develop an insight into this developing sector of practice.
Throughout the programme you will be supported by a team of regional facilitators who can help you with developing your individual training programme, as well as providing you with dedicated materials and guidance to enable you to deliver a successful training programme.
Funding is also provided to support new sites in setting up their training programme and for providing supervision in general practice.
Yes, evidence from multiple sources indicates that trainees would like to undertake training in general practice.
- A study published by the BPSA in 2017 showed that 41.1% of students wanted to undertake training in general practice
- The fill rate for split-sector training places including general practice in has been consistently well above the national average fill rate