When people think about internationally trained pharmacists joining the UK workforce, the conversation often centres on registration, passing English language requirements, completing the OSPAP programme, undertaking foundation training, and finally obtaining GPhC registration.
While these milestones are undoubtedly important, my experience has taught me that registration is only the beginning. True workforce integration goes beyond obtaining a licence to practise.
It is about helping pharmacists build confidence, develop professional networks, understand workplace culture and feel that their previous experience is recognised and valued.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending the Pharmacist Evolve Catalyst Conference in Coventry, organised by Pharmacist Evolve founder Faith Adebimpe.
Attending this reinforced something I have come to believe deeply – that internationally trained pharmacists do not simply need a pathway into the profession, they need a pathway into belonging.
Registration is not the finish line
Before moving to the UK, I had already spent several years practising as a pharmacist in Nigeria across community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, manufacturing and specialist clinical settings.
Like many pharmacists trained overseas, I arrived with professional experience, clinical knowledge and a genuine passion for patient care.
Yet arriving in a new healthcare system can sometimes make even experienced professionals feel as though they are starting again.
Although the OSPAP programme and foundation training prepare pharmacists academically and professionally, there remains an important transition between becoming registered and feeling fully integrated into practice.
One of the strongest messages from the Catalyst Conference for me was that this transition deserves just as much attention as the registration process itself.
The power of mentorship and community
One of the reasons the event resonated so strongly with me was because it reflected a journey I had personally experienced.
Long before I arrived in the UK, I came across Faith Adebimpe’s educational videos explaining the OSPAP application process and sharing her own experiences.
At a time when reliable guidance was limited, her openness helped many aspiring pharmacists – myself included – navigate what can often feel like a complex and overwhelming process. That support did not end once registration was achieved.
Through Pharmacist Evolve's mentoring programme, and the Catalyst Conference, internationally trained pharmacists were given opportunities to learn from experienced practitioners, ask honest questions and discuss challenges that are rarely spoken about openly.
The conversations extended far beyond clinical practice. Topics included workplace culture, communication, visa sponsorship, confidence, leadership and professional identity. Senior pharmacists, employers, policy leaders and internationally trained pharmacists all contributed to discussions that recognised overseas pharmacists not simply as recruits, but as valuable members of the future pharmacy workforce.
For me, these conversations transformed uncertainty into confidence.
Building a workforce where everyone can thrive
This conversation also took place during an important period of consultation on international pharmacist registration pathways by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). This provided an opportunity for delegates to contribute feedback based on their lived experiences and to help shape future workforce policies.
That felt significant. Workforce integration should not be viewed as an optional extra. It is an investment in patient care. When internationally trained pharmacists feel supported, understood and connected, they are better able to contribute their knowledge, develop professionally and remain within the workforce.
Networking events, mentoring programmes and collaborative discussions create opportunities that formal education alone cannot provide. They help pharmacists develop confidence, build relationships and recognise that they belong within the profession.
As the NHS and community pharmacy continue to experience workforce pressures and pharmacist shortages, internationally trained pharmacists will undoubtedly remain an important part of the solution. Supporting them beyond registration is therefore not simply beneficial for pharmacists, it is beneficial for patients, employers and the profession as a whole.
Patients benefit when pharmacists feel confident within their teams. A pharmacist who feels supported is more likely to communicate effectively, seek advice when needed, collaborate confidently with colleagues and build trusting relationships with patients. Workforce integration is therefore not only an investment in pharmacists, it is an investment in safer, higher quality patient care.
My reflections on workforce integration
As I left the Catalyst conference, I reflected on how far I had come, from watching online guidance videos while preparing my OSPAP application to volunteering at a conference dedicated to supporting internationally trained pharmacists. It felt like a full circle moment.
The conference reminded me that workforce integration is not about helping internationally trained pharmacists fit into the profession. It is about creating an environment where they can contribute, grow and thrive.
Registration may open the door, but meaningful integration is what enables pharmacists to walk confidently through it.
Chioma Cynthia Ogbuji is a GPhC-registered community pharmacist. Chioma graduated from Central University, Ghana, before qualifying as a pharmacist in Nigeria and later completing the University of Hertfordshire's Overseas Pharmacists Assessment Programme (OSPAP) with Distinction. Following foundation training in London, she now practises in community pharmacy in Wales and has a particular interest in workforce integration, public health and supporting internationally trained pharmacists.
