Skip to content

This Site is Intended for Healthcare Professionals Only

Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Keith Ridge praises pharmacy technicians for their selfless service during pandemic

Chief pharmaceutical officer for England Dr Keith Ridge has praised pharmacy technicians across all parts of the NHS for their selfless service during the current pandemic.

Coinciding with the World Pharmacy Technicians Day, Dr Ridge published an open letter on October 20 in which he thanked pharmacy technicians for “their incredible contribution to and support for excellent patient care throughout the Covid-19 pandemic so far.”


In the letter addressed to Liz Fidler, president of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), he wrote: “I have been impressed by the many examples of leadership, delivery and sheer fortitude that have been shown by pharmacy technician colleagues across all parts of the NHS and these are deserving of great praise.”

Dr Ridge highlighted that the profession has a "great future ahead", nothing that the "NHS Long Term Plan identifies a strong and growing role for the pharmacy team across the

NHS which won’t be achievable without the appropriate clinical deployment of

pharmacy technicians."

He emphasised that their role was critical to the functioning of the pharmacy team and pharmacy and medicines optimisation services in the NHS.

"The professional contribution of pharmacy technicians during the pandemic further confirms that this is the right approach," he noted.

While thanking "the impressive leadership and contribution of the APTUK" he outlined several new initiatives the NHS has undertaken to consolidate the roles of pharmacy technicians, such as:

• The inclusion of the pharmacy technician role in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme so that primary care networks are able to recruit pharmacy technicians into general practices meaning there will be hundreds more in post in the next four years.

• The inclusion of pharmacy technicians in the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway.

• The expansion of training places and the piloting of the Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician role, in a system approach including primary care.

• The publication of the National Competency Framework for Primary Care Pharmacy Technicians.

• A national framework procurement process to facilitate access to apprenticeship funding to train pharmacy technicians in all settings.

He stressed the need for developing "a sustainable approach that will be beneficial to pharmacy technicians in terms of career progression and professional development."

He however added that this would mean mean increasing recruitment, maximising the potential of the clinical role of pharmacy technicians in the NHS, increasing the numbers of those seeking professional registration and ensuring support for APTUK as the professional body.

More For You

NHS to invest millions to boost enhanced treatment for sickle cell patients

Approximately 17,000 people live in England with sickle cell disease

Pic credit: istock

NHS to invest millions to boost enhanced treatment for sickle cell patients

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that it will invest £9 million towards the treatment of sickle cell patients.

Approximately 17,000 people live in England with sickle cell disease. Nearly 250 new cases of this inherited blood disorder is reported annually.

Keep ReadingShow less
NHS leads the world with new ‘trojan horse’ therapy for blood cancer patients

An estimated 6,000 cases of multiple myeloma is diagnosed in the UK each year.

Pic credit: istock

NHS leads the world with new ‘trojan horse’ therapy for blood cancer patients


NHS England has become the first in the world to introduce a ‘trojan horse’ therapy for the victims of blood cancer with the ground-breaking treatment slowing down the illness three-times more than existing treatments.

Keep ReadingShow less
Call to improve inclusivity in clinical research

Ethnic minority adults continue to be underrepresented in clinical trials.

iStock

Call to improve inclusivity in clinical research

A NEW report has called for the participation of a wide range of diverse communities in clinical research to make sure that the medicines meet the needs of the UK's increasingly diverse population.

The report ‘Achieving inclusivity in clinical research’, prepared by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), highlights the long-standing challenges in ensuring diversity in clinical trials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pharmacy students Learning Support Fund

Pharmacy students will be included in the Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses section of the NHS Learning Support Fund.

iStock

Pharmacy students to have access to Learning Support Fund

FOR the first time in England, pharmacy students will be eligible to reimburse travel and accommodation costs while attending placements.

The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that pharmacy students would finally be included in the Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) section of the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF).

Keep ReadingShow less
NHS for robotic surgery

Patients undergoing robotic surgery are able to recover quicker and be discharged sooner.

Pic credit: iStock

NHS pushes for robotic surgery to reduce waiting time, improve outcomes

The NHS is planning to step up robotic surgery over the next decade to reduce waiting time, help in the speed of recovery of patients, and shorter hospital stay.

As per the NHS projections, the number is expected to zoom from 70,000 in 2023/24 to half a million by 2035.

Keep ReadingShow less