Adult Critical Care training for Pharmacy professionals

NHS England is offering fully funded training places to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in adult critical care units in England.  This Adult Critical Care training forms a part of the wider NHS England critical care workforce programme to ensure that, as part of the critical care workforce model, each unit has an advanced level pharmacist with the relevant competencies to work in this setting.

Background

In 2022, NHS England responded to evidence highlighting workforce concerns by establishing the Adult Critical Care (ACC) Planning Programme – incorporating training of Advanced Critical Care Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and Nurses. In November 2023, training providers were invited to bid for delivery of Adult Critical care training for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians, resulting in three new training opportunities available for Pharmacy professionals.

About the training:

NHS England is committed to supporting the development of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in adult critical care. The NHS England Adult Critical Care Pharmacy Workforce Strategy (2022) set an ambition that pharmacy services to adult critical care must meet the standards set out in the NHS England D05 service specification and the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine / Intensive Care Society Guidelines for the Provision of Intensive Care Services (GPICS) within three years, and that pharmacist services should support, collaborate or lead research, service improvement and audit. The education and training on offer meets the standards set out in the current NHS England D05 service specification and GPICS.

What is the training on offer?

Three offers are available for eligible pharmacy professionals. These are:

1. Adult Critical Care training pathway for Pharmacy Technicians (15 funded places) – 12-month pathway commencing 17 April 2024 – delivered by the University of Bradford and their partners.
   • For eligibility criteria and to register now, complete the University of Bradford application form by 17 March 2024. Contact critcarepharmtechs@bradford.ac.uk for more information.
2. Adult Critical Care CPD for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (200 funded places) – delivered by the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA) and commencing 10 April 2024.
   • Pharmacists: For eligibility criteria and to book now, visit the dedicated UKCPA portal
   • Pharmacy Technicians: For eligibility criteria and to book now, visit the dedicated UKCPA portal Pharmacist Adult Critical Care pathway (100 funded places) – delivered by a University College Londo
3. Pharmacist Adult Critical Care pathway (100 funded places) – delivered by a University College London
   • Enrol now by 3rd June 2024.
   • Please follow the link below to the University College London website for further information about eligibility and how to apply: PG Certificate in Advanced Pharmacy Practice (Critical Care) | UCL School of Pharmacy - UCL – University College London
   • The Pharmacist Adult Critical Care pathway, delivered by the University College London School of Pharmacy is mapped to the RPS Core Advanced and RPS / UKCPA Critical Care Advanced Pharmacist Curricula. The pathway has been designed for pharmacists with a substantive role in adult critical care who are working at or towards an advanced level of practice. This 12-month course commencing in July 2024, consists of four 15-credit modules completed mostly at a distance, combining academic rigour with a focus on application of learning in the workplace. Successful completion of the pathway will award academic credits and support development of a portfolio of evidence for Royal Pharmaceutical Society Credentialling at advanced level.

If you have any questions, contact us by emailing england.pharmacyteam@nhs.net