Are you considering Pharmacy as a Degree option in hope to one day be a pharmacist? Or have you just completed your MPharm/OSAP qualification and about to start your Foundation Year? If so you're probably trying to get your head around what happens next?
It’s rather confusing trying to piece together how your year will run. We’ve made it very simple for you to understand, please see below all the benchmarks you’d be expected to meet prior to being signed off as competent to work as a Pharmacist following GPHC standards.
First things first, you will be employed and paid as a Pharmacist!! You’re pleased to hear this aren’t you? No more working as a dispenser, or as a pharmacy assistant. You can at least start bringing in some cash. You will however be fully governed by a designated supervisor who has worked as Pharmacist for at least three years with no previous Fitness to Practice (FTP) against their pin.
Let’s get into the ‘nitty gritty’….
For the cohorts of 21/22 and 22/23 you will be tasked to demonstrate interim learning outcomes expected by the GPHC.
This will be done on an accredited training site with your designated supervisor for at least the next 52 weeks. During these weeks you will be learning and demonstrating the skills and knowledge of a pharmacist in real life situations.
So what will you be expected to show?
Person-centred care and collaboration will need to demonstrate
Empathy, communicate effectively and adapt to suit patient’s needs. Able to obtain informed consent before providing care, working collaboratively with other healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care etc.
Professional practice
Recognize your limits of knowledge and skills, and get support where needed, take responsibility of all aspect of pharmacy services, and act open and honest when things go wrong, apply science behind all pharmacy activities, keep updated with the current ongoing in the pharmacy world, demonstrate effective diagnostic skills, calculations, and manage health outcomes etc
Won’t be prescribing medications (IP)
Leadership and management
Demonstrate leadership and make use of teams to manage resources, develop strategies to increase care and safe use of medication, use techniques to avoid medication errors, recognise risks in the workplace and demonstrate resilience and flexibility in a changing environment.
Education and research
Support leaning and development of others, take part in research activities and demonstrate how you can use them to improve care.
Throughout the year your designated supervisor will be assessing all of the above skills and signing you off as competent following the GPhC guidelines. During this time, you will be preparing to take your final GPhC exam.
If unfortunately, you fail the exam, it’s not the end of the road…. you’ll be glad to hear! There will be multiple opportunities throughout the year where you will be able to resit this exam.
If you fail your designated supervisor assessment, then you will discuss with them a suitable timeframe to reassess. You will have multiple opportunities to pass, so please don’t worry if it doesn’t happen first time round!
We really hope this information has helped you understand the criteria that the GPhC sets to help you be the best Pharmacist you can be. If you pass, you know you are ready to act as a sole Pharmacist in your chosen sector.
Quad Recruitment wish you the best of luck going forward and we all hope you have a seamless foundation year.
Did you know we have Pharmacy clients who employ newly qualified MPharm Pharmacists into their stores, hospitals and clinics to complete their foundation year? Be sure to reach out to any of our consultant at Quad Recruitment to secure your foundation year with a supportive organisation today – 01244 621477 OR email us on info@quadrecruitment.com where your queries will be dealt with swiftly. Feel free to visit our website in the meantime: Take a look at Quad Recruitment
