The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has launched a consultation on introducing a level 6 pharmacy technician pathway.
The consultation on the draft UK-wide, post-registration pharmacy technician career pathway is open until December 31 as it aims to give a development route from level 4 foundation practice to level 6 enhanced practice.
The consultation has support from the Royal College of Pharmacy, and its education director Louise Goldring said the college welcomes the chance for the pharmacy sector to “comprehensively engage in the detail of APTUK’s proposals”.
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“[We] will actively consult with our members to ensure that their voices and opinions are heard,” she said.
“We have had initial, collaborative discussions with APTUK and look forward to building on this now that we have time to review the draft proposals in detail during the forthcoming consultation phase.”
The pathway will be organised around clinical practice, leadership and management, research, and education as it aims to support “transferability of skills and experience”, promote “consistency across sectors and settings”, and align pharmacy technician development “with wider healthcare priorities”.
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APTUK will be hosting webinars about the pathway in the consultation period and welcomes feedback from pharmacy technicians, employers, educators, and members of the public.
The consultation report will be published in early 2027 and the final pathway announced in spring 2027.
It comes after the General Pharmaceutical Council approved raising pharmacy technician training to level 4 in July, with full implementation of the new standards to come in autumn 2029.
