Level 3 Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship

Course Overview

Pharmacy Technicians are registered professionals working within the regulatory standards for pharmacy, as set by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Pharmacy Order 2010.

Pharmacy Technicians work in a wide range of settings, including (but not exclusively): registered pharmacies, community services, justice (the Prison Service), GP Practices, dispensing doctors’ practices, care homes and clinical commissioning groups, hospitals, mental health, defence (HM Armed Services) and within the pharmaceutical industry

Pharmacy technicians manage the supply of medicines and devices in a pharmacy and assist pharmacists with advisory services. The actual work setting will determine the specific areas of activity that the Pharmacy Technician undertakes, but typically their role will include the following:

• providing safe and effective pharmacy services

• supply medicines and devices to patients, whether on prescription or over the counter

• achieving the best outcomes through a patient’s medicines

• assemble medicines for prescriptions

• provide information to patients and other healthcare professionals.

• manage areas of medicines supply such as dispensaries

• supervise other pharmacy staff

• answering customers questions face to face or by phone

• pre-packing, assembling and labelling medicines

• referring problems or queries to the pharmacist

A Pharmacy Technician is responsible for carrying out both routine and specialist services, including highly complex activities requiring them to use their professional judgement. They are expected to work both individually and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

They are able to work with minimum supervision, with a high degree of autonomy, taking responsibility for the quality and accuracy of the work that they have undertaken and that of others.

Pharmacy Technicians are expected to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals, patients and the public, whilst respecting and maintaining confidentiality and privacy.

Price Structure

• Non levy employer contribution (5%) – £400

• Levy paying employer contribution – £8000

Certification

By the end of the programme and to become a Pharmacy Technician, Apprentices must have achieved the following:

• Level 2 functional skills in English & Maths, if not already achieved

• Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians (approved by the General Pharmaceuticals Council)

Pre-entry criteria

Those with an annual wage bill of less than £3m do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy. Instead, 95% of each apprenticeship is funded by the government whilst a 5% investment is required by the employer to enhance the skills of their employee.

• Employers are also be eligible for a £1000 incentive payment if the apprentice is aged 16–18.

• Employers with less than 50 employees and where the apprentice is aged 16–18, the government will fund 100% of the apprentice and are eligible for a £1000 incentive payment.

• Employers with those aged 19+ the government will continue to fund 95% of the apprenticeship programme whilst a 5% investment is required by the employer.