The RPS recognises the importance of increasing understanding of the issues around the future of the pharmacy workforce to our members. This issue is at the top of our priorities and we will be working with and through the profession on putting together a full response to the HEFCE-HEE consultation.
Last week, as part of our Workforce Action Plan, which can be viewed on the RPS website, a Workforce Options Paper was published and will feed into the RPS’s response to the HEFCE-HEE consultation.
In considering options for the controlling entry to the pharmacy profession, the Workforce Options Paper applied the following principles:
- Patients’ needs come first and they and the public must expect to access high quality pharmacy services delivered by a flexible, adaptable, capable and competent workforce;
- Pharmacists entering the profession should be high quality with the right skills, level of knowledge, values, attitudes and behaviours;
- All education and training delivered to MPharm students and pre-registration trainees should be high quality and give a sound grounding in professionalism
Dr Catherine Duggan, RPS Director of Professional Development said “It is important to note that the RPS believes that oversupply is just one aspect of a very complicated issue, and we encourage pharmacists and all health care professionals to see the action plan, become acquainted with the issue and to share their thoughts and concerns.
It is also important to remember, that as the RPS is the professional leadership body for pharmacy in the UK, any discussions about managing MPharm student numbers and the availability of pre-registration training placements should be shared with colleagues in Scotland and Wales, and the impact considered across the whole of the UK.”
