Pharmacists can work with regional training boards to help shape the profession's workforce, according to Chris Welsh, director of education and quality at the newly formed Health Education England (HEE).

The HEE's annual £4.8 billion budget would be used to invest in the existing and future healthcare workforce and could help pharmacists play their part in the reformed NHS, Professor Welsh told C+D in an exclusive interview.  

Training and education would be offered by HEE's 13 local education and training boards (LETBs) from April 1, which will support training for new pharmacists and those continuing their professional development, he said.

Pharmacists could get involved directly with the LETB in their area though their local strategic health authority, the HEE or through England's chief pharmaceutical officer Keith Ridge, who was involved in the training directorate – giving leadership in the education, training and workforce planning for pharmacy, Professor Welsh said.

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	"I am expecting that the big pharmacies will work with LETBs about what sort of workforce they want in the future," Professor Welsh said.

Lloydspharmacy's parent company Celesio UK told C+D it had not yet established formal contact but it expected to "fully engage with HEE as it develops its strategic plans and with LETBs as they develop their local support plans".

HEE, which replaces Medical Education England next month, would offer the chance for healthcare professionals to work better as teams, Professor Welsh said, because it was the first time that education and training had been brought together.

"For too long we have trained in silos, developed in silos, but actually we work in teams and we really need to think about how we work in teams together and get the best out of the whole of the team," he said.

HEE replaces Medical Education England with an extended remit, offering a national leadership role for all the medical professions, as well as workforce planning with the aim of equipping staff "with the right skills and the right values and behaviours" to deliver quality care, according to its strategy, published last month, which also sets out where the LETBs are across England.

Professor Welsh is one of the many high-profile speakers with whom you can debate the implications of the NHS reforms at the C+D Summit on April 11. Book your place today