The regulator compared pre-reg technicians who trained in 2014-15, to pre-reg pharmacists who trained the previous year. It found that 89% of technicians said their training was "good or very good", in comparison to 78% of pharmacists, according to the findings published last week (January 26).

Eighty per cent of technicians surveyed said they would recommend their pre-reg training to others, in comparison to just 70% of pharmacists, the GPhC revealed.

"Isolated" in the workplace

It highlighted that "almost one-fifth" of technicians felt "isolated" during their workplace training. This was "significantly more likely for trainees working in the community pharmacy sector, in comparison to those who trained in a hospital pharmacy". 

Community pharmacy technicians who trained in a "large organisation" were most likely to report that they had no protected study time, the GPhC said. Technicians and pharmacists who trained in a hospital were more likely to report having more than two hours protected study time.

Increased dissatisfaction

The data also revealed that pre-reg pharmacists in 2013-14 were more dissatisfied with the quality of support and educational supervision they received than the previous year's cohort.

The GPhC found “significant differences” between satisfied and dissatisfied trainees based on their age, ethnic group, training sector and region. In the community pharmacy sector, 14% of Asian and ‘other’ ethnic group trainees were dissatisfied, compared to 6% of white trainees.

Pre-reg tutors

A separate survey of 811 pre-reg tutors surveyed found that three-quarters agreed they had received sufficient support during the training year, while 11% disagreed. 

The GPhC concluded there is still a “large gap” between how pre-reg students rate their training and how tutors rate their own training.