Proposals for the controversial pharmacist apprenticeship scheme were revived last month, after being put on hold by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education in May.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) criticised the initial proposals for a “lack of transparency and the short time given for the consultation”, while its members “overwhelmingly suggested [the apprenticeship] is a bad idea”, director Paul Day told C+D last week (October 29).

Some pharmacists are concerned that trainees who come through the apprenticeship route will not be as qualified as those who take the traditional MPharm training route, which would “reflect badly on the reputation of the profession at large”, he explained.

“Our job as the largest organisation representing individual pharmacists is to reflect their views, and clearly they think it’s a bad idea,” Mr Day added.

The Workforce Development Trust stressed last month that the apprenticeship will meet the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC) regulatory requirements.

Poor training environments

The PDA has welcomed the improved transparency that has come with the reintroduction of the proposals, but warned it has “not seen any evidence” that the working environment in which trainees would be placed would “lend [itself] to developing the sort of people we need as pharmacists”.

Most environments – with the exception of teaching hospitals – “will not produce somebody who can fully perform the role of pharmacist” across all sectors, Mr Day claimed.

The GPhC would have to ensure any proposal “produces pharmacists to the standards that constitutes being a pharmacist” and the consultation period needs to be of a decent time, he stressed.

In April, a C+D poll suggested four fifths of pharmacists did not support the apprenticeship proposals. The original consultation received more than 6,000 responses.