31.10.17
NHS Leadership Academy extends training opportunity to pharmacy staff
Pharmacy staff in the NHS are being offered the chance to develop their leadership and management skills.
This is the first time that the six month programme has been extended to the community pharmacy sector.
The course, which is delivered by the Mary Seacole programme, run by NHS Leadership Academy, is designed to develop clinical leadership skills to develop frontline services.
NHS England hope that this will allow pharmacy professionals to use their clinical skills to review medicines in GP surgeries, care homes, urgent care and in the community, working as part of the wider healthcare team.
Funded by NHS England’s Pharmacy Integration Fund, the programme is part of a two year package of education and development in partnerships with Health Education England, costed at £15m, and supports the transformation of pharmacies outlined in the Five Year Forward View.
NHS England’s deputy chief pharmaceutical officer, Dr. Bruce Warner, said: “NHS England is committed to supporting pharmacists and pharmacy technicians through investment in education and skills so they can spend more time leading the delivery of high quality clinical care for patients in a variety of integrated primary and urgent care settings.
“This is a very exciting opportunity for community pharmacy and we hope we get an enthusiastic response.”
Professor Elizabeth Hughes, Health Education England director and dean for education and quality, London and South East, added: “This is a welcome and timely opportunity for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across the profession to consolidate leadership capability and potential, with the potential to have a real impact on patient experience and outcomes.
“Developing the leadership potential of individuals is an integral part of ensuring that the workforce has the right skills, behaviours and values in an increasingly multi-disciplinary healthcare economy where cross-sector partnership and new ways of working are key to future-proofing the NHS.”
The first cohort began in London today, with further intakes starting in Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and West Midlands from November, followed by ten additional regions.
The majority of learning will take place online, with three face-to-face workshops.
By March 2018 there is to be dedicated funding under the Pharmacy Integration fund, allowing access to post-registration training and development for community pharmacists.