The cross-sector training programme aims to “address growing demand” for clinical “patient-facing” roles and “support pharmacist recruitment” across healthcare sectors, local commissioners said this week (February 21).

The programme – known as the STAR (start, training, advantage and rotation) initiative - was designed to create an “interesting portfolio role” for early-career pharmacists wanting to work in primary care, Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS) said.

Those taking part in the 24 to 30-month rotational training scheme will have access to the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Programme (PCPEP) and independent prescribing training, it added.

“National pilot”

A job advert posted by the ICS said that the initiative is “a new national pilot featuring a portfolio role across two pharmacy sectors and the unique opportunity to work as a newly qualified pharmacist in GP”.

It specified that recruits will be employed by either a primary care network (PCN) or community pharmacy but work across both.

Phase one of the programme, which will start in “summer 2023”, will offer experience across general practice and community pharmacy, it said.

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LPC backing

Norfolk Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC) said it was backing the initiative to help ensure the future sustainability of the pharmacy workforce.

The LPC is encouraging its network of community pharmacy teams to “welcome the chance at employing these pharmacists”, deputy chief officer Lauren Seamons said.

This will “not only secure wider variety of skills for future, but also help influence solutions which will enable community pharmacy workforce stability for the future”, she added.

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