Pharmacy: Recruitment and Training
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of pharmacies' workforce capability and training to safely and effectively deliver expanded clinical services; and what steps his Department is taking to support pharmacies' workforce capability and training nationally.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
The Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacies, and from September 2026, all newly qualified pharmacists will be independent prescribers upon registration.
To support community pharmacy employers in developing their staff and delivering quality National Health Services, NHS England provides a number of funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This includes independent prescriber training, clinical examination skills, and training the next generation of education supervisors.
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