Pharmacy Services

Framework:

Pharmacy Services

Level:

2/3

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Dispensing and Pharmacy Assistants and Pharmacy Technicians are an essential part of the pharmacy team and work under the supervision of a registered Pharmacist in order to provide medicines for patients in a safe and correct manner.

The majority of Pharmacy Technicians work in community (retail) pharmacy both for small independent pharmacies and large multiple pharmacy companies. Many also work in the hospital pharmacy service both within the NHS and private hospitals. Some Pharmacy Technicians are employed in the pharmaceutical industry, HM Prisons, armed forces and in NHS Primary Care Organisations (PCOs).

Dispensing and Pharmacy Assistants undertake a range of roles within the pharmacy sector, which include the following:

• Sale of over the counter medicines and the provision of information to customers on symptoms and products

• Prescription receipt and collection

• The assembly of prescribed items (including the generation of labels)

• Ordering, receiving and storing pharmaceutical stock

• The supply of pharmaceutical stock

• Preparation for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products (including aseptic products)

• Manufacture and assembly of medicinal products (including aseptic products)

Under Pharmacist supervision, Pharmacy Technicians supply medicines to patients, whether on prescription or over the counter and assemble medicines for prescriptions  and provide information to patients and other healthcare professionals

Pharmacy Technicians also:

• Manage areas of medicines supply such as dispensaries

• Supervise other pharmacy staff

• Produce medicines in hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry

Pathway options and levels

Further information

Duration

Level 2:  15 months  

Level 3:  24 months

 

Progression routes

Level 2

Routes include:

• Level 3 Level Apprenticeship in Pharmacy Services.
• Further qualifications specific to your work context. A wide range of qualifications are available for use within the health sector.
• Other work-related education and training to support Continuing Professional Development.

Level 3

Routes include:

• Employment
• Progression onto further qualifications specific to your work context. A wide range of qualifications are available for use within the health sector.
• Higher education qualifications or other work-related education and training to support Continuing Professional Development.
• Progression to Senior roles and may ultimately progress to becoming:

• Pharmacists on completion of an appropriate degree

• Specialise in medicines management, manufacturing, quality control, staff training, information technology, supplies procurement, clinical trials or medicines information services

• Managers within hospital or community setting.

Qualifications

Level 2: NVQ Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills

Level 3: NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Services Skills

 

What are the entry requirements for this pathway?

All apprenticeship pathways in Wales have entry requirements.
If you are interested in undertaking this pathway – you need to have the following entry level qualification(s);

Level 2

There are no specific qualifications required for entry to this apprenticeship framework. Apprentices should:

• Show enthusiasm for working in the pharmacy sector

• Have basic literacy, numeracy and communication skills on which the apprenticeship will build

• Have a suitable level of physical fitness to perform some aspects of the job roles

• Be willing to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks

• Be flexible as there may be a requirement to work rotas

As a guide, applicants may enter via a range of routes including from:

• work

• work experience

• school

• college

• training and/or experience which may include a portfolio showing what they have done Applicants may have already achieved a range of qualifications eg:

• Essential Skills Wales

• GCSEs

• Welsh Baccalaureate

• Welsh Baccalaureate with Principal Learning

• foundation learning at level 1

• Other level 1/2 qualifications

Level 2: No formal entry requirements

 

Level 3

There are no specific qualifications required for entry to this apprenticeship framework. Apprentices should:

• Show enthusiasm for working in the pharmacy sector

• Have basic literacy, numeracy and communication skills on which the apprenticeship will build

• Have a suitable level of physical fitness to perform some aspects of the job roles

• Be willing to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks

• Be flexible as there may be a requirement to work rotas

As a guide, applicants may enter via a range of routes including from:

• work

• work experience

• school

• college

• training and/or experience which may include a portfolio showing what they have done Applicants may have already achieved a range of qualifications eg:

• Essential Skills Wales

• GCSEs

• Welsh Baccalaureate

• Welsh Baccalaureate with Principal Learning

• foundation learning at level 1

• Other level 1/2 qualifications

Level 3: No formal entry requirements

View full pathway

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