We are seeking views on our approach to the quality assurance of pharmacy education and training
This 10-week consultation seeks views on our proposals to develop our approach to the quality assurance of pharmacy education and training.
Have your say
This consultation is open from 4 April to 13 June 2024.
About our proposals
We check that pharmacy education and training providers are meeting our standards through a quality assurance process. This gives patients and the public the confidence that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians joining our register are skilled and knowledgeable, and that they demonstrate appropriate professional behaviours as a result of their education and training. We also make sure that pharmacy education and training takes place safely for all involved and is carried out in a way that is fair and provides a positive experience for students and trainees.
We have made significant reforms to pharmacy education and training standards over the last few years and are now proposing to develop how we quality assure the courses and qualification we approve.
We are proposing four key changes to how we quality assure pharmacy education and training:
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Introduce yearly monitoring with a greater use of data we collect before the approval event which will enable us to identify and address concerns together with the providers in a more timely, proportionate, and systematic manner.
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Define clear lines of responsibility and criteria for making decisions about whether or not to reapprove a course or qualification, including decision-making routes based on the level of assurance we get from providers and whether there is an identified need to intervene.
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Adopt a more flexible approval and intervention process so that, as well as continuing to monitor on a regular basis, we will also have the flexibility to intervene more quickly where concerns are identified.
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Achieve greater scrutiny by applying our quality assurance processes across all pharmacy education and training which will mean that the same arrangements will apply to all providers.
Depending on the outcome of the consultation, we plan to develop these arrangements in stages over the coming years.
Please respond to the consultation by 13 June and help shape the future approach to the quality assurance of education and training.