PDA: Pharmacy technicians should sit a GPhC registration exam
Pharmacy technicians should sit a General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) registration exam if their roles are to advance, the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has argued.
PDA chair Mark Koziol told C+D last week (September 24) that the exam would be necessary if pharmacists are to delegate more tasks to pharmacy technicians so they can engage in more patient-facing roles (see video below).
The PDA also recommended pharmacy technicians have a minimum entry requirement of five C-grade GCSEs, as well as a National Vocational Qualification of four or five, in a report published last month (September 20).
“There is widespread variation in the quality and nature of the initial education and training provided to pharmacy technicians,” the PDA said in its report.
“The regulatory standards for such are open to interpretation. They have been outdated for a considerable period of time and are of questionable relevance.”
Mr Koziol told C+D that due to this variation in training, “pharmacists delegating tasks to pharmacy technicians put themselves at risk”.
C+D has asked the GPhC for its view on the PDA’s proposals.
Should pharmacists be able to delegate more tasks to pharmacy technicians?