We have changed the way we reaccredit MPharm degrees under our 2021 standards.
The key change is that reaccreditation is in two parts. This recognises the amount of change that the standards present and the impact the redesign of MPharm degrees will have on course providers. In particular there are increased expectations that trainees will learn from other professions and through experience of practice, and that providers will work closely with statutory education bodies.
All current providers of MPharm degrees will have been reaccredited to the new standards before the first students graduate to the new arrangements in Summer 2025. This will fit in with the move to the fully implemented foundation training year, which will start in the 2025/26 academic year.
We celebrated the 10-year anniversary of pharmacy technician registration on 1 July 2021. To mark the anniversary, we sent an email from our Chair and Chief Executive, and the Chief Pharmaceutical Officers for England and Scotland, to all pharmacy technicians. This thanked them for the significant contribution they make to providing safe and effective pharmacy care to patients and the public.
The first pharmacy technician trainees who completed the new combined competence and knowledge-based qualification have graduated this academic year, 2021/22 (under the standards for the initial education and training of pharmacy technicians 2017). This new, single qualification/course, leading to registration, replaces the separate knowledge and competence qualifications. These are being phased out by providers.
replaces the separate knowledge and competence qualifications. These are being phased out by providers.
In the academic year 2021/22 we piloted a way of collecting anonymous pre-registration data about pharmacy technician trainees undertaking approved training programmes. This involved collecting information on admission, progression, basic EDI characteristics and FtP concerns. This data will be used to improve education quality assurance activities. After evaluating the pilot, we will collect this information every year from pharmacy technician education providers.