Knowledge, Skills, Behaviours and Values

What we do

The UEA Pharmacy Technician Programme Team develop, deliver and evaluate high quality training programmes for all levels of pharmacy staff from pharmacy assistants, to pharmacy technicians, and even pharmacists and managers who wish to develop their skills in training and educating others.

Our aim is to equip all learners with the right knowledge, skills, behaviours and values necessary for their roles so that they can deliver exceptional patient care every time.

This is achieved through collaborative working with expert practitioners who each have years of experience in the world of pharmacy.

E-learning

All of our programmes are supported by Blackboard – the virtual learning environment used by the UEA.

Blackboard offers maximum flexibility for learners and allows tutors, work-based trainers and assessors to monitor the progress of their learners at the touch of a button. The resources available on Blackboard include presentations, videos, online reading lists, quizzes, e-assessments and links to useful websites – all carefully chosen with the intention to complement the taught study days and further develop the learner’s knowledge.

Our programmes

Courses

Certificate of Higher Education in Pharmacy Technician Practice (Apprenticeship)

What is a Pharmacy Technician?

Pharmacy Technicians are healthcare professionals who are registered with the UK pharmacy regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) for their licence to practise. The title of Pharmacy Technician is protected in law and can only be applied to those who meet and maintain the professional standards set by the GPhC.

They are professional, skilled, knowledgeable and  essential members of the pharmacy team who provide person-centred care through dispensing, supply and optimising a person’s medicines to achieve the best outcomes for that person.

Professional Leadership

The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) is the professional leadership body for pharmacy technicians working in the UK. Membership with APTUK is voluntary.

Post qualification

Post qualification and with the right level of experience, there are many opportunities for training and development which can lead to specialised areas of work including:

Settings can include:

  • Acute Hospitals
  • Community Pharmacy
  • Primary Care roles including GP practices and Care Homes
  • Mental Health Hospitals
  • Specialist Hospitals
  • Prison services

Roles can include:

  • Medicines optimisation roles across all settings
  • Ward-based services
  • Management
  • Education and development
  • Medicines Information
  • Clinical trials
  • Procurement
  • Aseptic dispensing
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturing

Professional Regulation

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the regulator for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Great Britain.

Regulation protects, promotes and maintains the health, safety and wellbeing of the public by upholding standards and public trust in the pharmacy profession.

Post-registration Phamacy Technician Programmes

Traditionally, the role of the pharmacy technician had been to support pharmacists in the supply of medicines, primarily in a dispensary setting. This role has, and is still, expanding, and now pharmacy technicians undertake a much wider range of more complex activities in different settings.  Pharmacy technicians now have more responsibilities and opportunities for career development and progression, often in patient facing roles.

We provide a range of programmes for qualified pharmacy technicians who wish to develop their existing skills and knowledge, and extend the breadth of their role as a vital member of the pharmacy team.

Useful Links

General Pharmaceutical Council

Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK

Identifying the Roles of Pharmacy Technicians in the UK (PDF file)

Courses

Trainers

Education, training and the development of the pharmacy workforce is vital to achieve excellent patient care. 

Many pharmacy professionals are expected to take on training roles in the workplace alongside their usual activities; whether it is as a pre-registration pharmacist or pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician tutor, when new team members are recruited or when colleagues move in to a different area.

The way the learner is supported is key to their success. 

The UEA Pharmacy Technician Programme Team have developed a series of courses aimed to equip pharmacy professionals with the skills they require to effectively support and guide their colleagues, pre-registration pharmacists and pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians through their period of training.

For information on the ‘Educational Supervisor Training’ for pharmacy technician CPD courses - email pharm.cpdreg@uea.ac.uk stating which course you will be an educational supervisor for. 

Who can attend?

Training is aimed at all NHS employees within the East Anglia region. The target audience for each course will be clearly indicated on all advertising material and our website. Courses are also available to any health care professionals from organisations outside East Anglia or from non-NHS Trusts.

Accreditations must be supported by agreeing to and signing the Learning Agreement. Participants must be supported by an Educational Supervisor or trained facilitator in order to complete the programme.

In all cases, participants must ensure they have gained permission to attend by their manager and funding source has been agreed, prior to registration for the course. The University of East Anglia will not make the information you supply available to any third parties.

Bookings for all courses are accepted on the following terms & conditions

All applications are reviewed by the admissions team prior to formal acceptance.

Further information, including any pre-course work or online activities will be sent to the candidate at least 10-14 days before the start of the course. If the course is oversubscribed you will be notified. The closing date for all courses is four weeks before the course date unless otherwise stated. Please note that late applications will not normally be accepted after this date, you are therefore advised to contact the Pharmacy Technician Programme Team Administrator – Rebecca Appleby – if you wish to apply after the closing date to check availability.

We reserve the right to cancel any event if a sufficient number of attendees is not forthcoming.

Transferring to another study day

If you wish to change a member of staff to another course less than six weeks before the start of the course, this will incur an admin and transfer fee of £50. This MUST be via written communication to our UEA Pharmacy Technician Programme Team Administrator, Rebecca Appleby

Non-Attendance

A charge of £50 will be made for failure to notify us before the study day of non-attendance or failure to complete online activities as part of our course specific e-learning criteria.

Exceptional circumstances, for example sickness on the day of the event, will be taken into consideration, however the candidate or nominated colleague must contact the UEA office (01603 597150) and email Rebecca Appleby by 10am on the day to ensure a charge will not be made.

Cancellations

Cancellation for any of our courses/study days/assessments must be received in writing to our Pharmacy Technician Programme Team Administrator - Rebecca Appleby

Cancellations received less than four weeks before the event will incur a cancellation fee of £50.

Assessment charges for all courses

Where assessment is a course requirement, course fees will cover the first assessment plus one re-assessment. Any further assessment will incur a charge of £50.

Ground rules for participants on all courses

Face to Face Training

Course participants are expected to:

  • Arrive punctually at the start of the study day and for all subsequent sessions throughout the day

  • Stay for the duration of the study day

  • Undertake any pre-course work associated with the study day or course

  • Inform the UEA via email at the earliest opportunity of non-attendance

Online Training

Course participants are expected to:

  • Complete all online activities in accordance with the course requirements and inform us at the earliest opportunity in writing if this is not possible

Collecting evidence

Candidates must be given opportunity to gather the evidence required for the course within the time frame. Each course allows one year from the study day for evidence collection and a plan needs to be put in place by the workplace to ensure this happens.

Evidence must be uploaded as it is collected. The UEA have a sampling strategy and portfolios will be reviewed throughout the year long training period. If there isn’t sufficient evidence when sampling takes place, candidates will be contacted.

Exceptional circumstances

Any exceptional circumstances must be brought to the attention of the Pharmacy Technician Programme Team and submitted in writing at the earliest opportunity. This will then be discussed before a decision is made.  Staffing issues/workload are not routinely a reason for exceptional circumstances.

The decision and outcome made by the Pharmacy Technician Programme Team will be final.

Course Contacts

For enquiries regarding the Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician Programme, please contact enquiries.ptpt@uea.ac.uk.
 
For enquiries regarding the post-registration Diploma of Higher Education in Advanced Pharmacy Technician Practice, please contact Pt.dip@uea.ac.uk.

For enquiries regarding the post-registration Pharmacy Technician Programmes or Educational Supervisor Programmes, please contact:

Sharon Walker - Regional Specialist Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training)
s.walker@uea.ac.uk

Rebecca Appleby - Senior Programme Administrator
rebecca.appleby@uea.ac.uk

Angela Schroeer - Programme Administrator
a.schroeer@uea.ac.uk