03.08.17
HEE launches first survey on pharmacy workforce development
For the first time, Health Education England (HEE) is inviting 11,500 community pharmacies to participate in a national survey looking at train and development across the sector.
The new Community Pharmacies Workforce Survey has been put in place to inform the commissioning of clinical education and the development of community pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and wider pharmacy staff.
The survey will also help with the creation of a significant programme of education and development currently being progressed by HEE.
The programme will include access to post-registration clinical pharmacy education and training, workforce development and a prescribing qualification for clinical pharmacists in care homes, as well as clinical leadership development for pharmacy technicians.
HEE hopes to collect key information around training requirements, recruitment experiences and working patterns of staff employed in each community pharmacy premises. The survey will be issued to 5,000 independent pharmacy premises.
“HEE’s work will support the workforce's transition to deliver a wider range of services for patients,” said Professor Elizabeth Hughes, director and dean of education and quality at the organisation (London and south east).
“We are also working to develop pharmacists and pharmacy technicians able to deliver pharmacy care where required.
“This survey will enable us to fully understand the scale and skill set of the community pharmacy workforce, and help us to ensure we plan our future investment in education commissioning effectively,” she added. “I encourage pharmacies to participate and help us shape the future of the pharmacy workforce.”
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