The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is consulting on standards for the initial education and training of pharmacist independent prescribers.

The consultation, running until 6 June, seeks views on three key changes:

• Revising the entry requirements for training: The consultation proposes that the current requirement for a course applicant to have worked in a clinical area for two years before training to prescribe in that area should be removed. It would be replaced by an effective application process in which the applicant would have to provide evidence that they have the experience and skills necessary to be ready to train.
  
  
• Introducing learning outcomes for the standards: The revised standards include learning outcomes, which describe the knowledge and skills a trainee will have on successful completion of a course.
  
  
• Introducing ‘designated prescribing practitioners’: At the moment, only doctors are allowed to formally supervise trainees as designated medical practitioners (DMPs). The consultation outlines plans for pharmacists training to become independent prescribers to have the option to be formally supervised by experienced pharmacist prescribers or other experienced prescribers. To reflect this change, we are introducing the new title for supervisors of ‘designated prescribing practitioners’.

Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the GPhC, said: “The need for well-trained pharmacist independent prescribers is continuing to grow and the roles for pharmacist independent prescribers have changed significantly since the current standards for their education and training were developed. 

“This is why it is so important that we update the standards now. And the feedback we receive through this consultation will help us to develop final standards for education and training that will ensure that trainees have the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours they will need to successfully provide high-quality care to patients as prescribers.

“We welcome views from anyone with an interest in this area, but we are particularly interested to hear from current and trainee pharmacist independent prescribers, course providers and course commissioners, as well as patients and the public who may use services provided by a pharmacist independent prescriber.”

Click here to  to read the consultation and respond to the survey.