Problems with the Clinical Pharmacist Training Pathway?

I’ve spent the last few weeks interviewing pharmacists to recruit experienced Clinical Pharmacists. What has surprised me is the number of pharmacists that are applying who are currently working for Primary Care Networks (PCN) and on the Clinical Pharmacist Training Pathway 

The Pathway is the Gold Standard for preparing pharmacists to work in General Practice. There are a few problems with it though:

• There seems to be an assumption that it is the only way to prepare pharmacist to work in general practice. However, many fantastic pharmacists developed into the role by other means previously.
• To receive the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme funding NHSE states that a Clinical Pharmacist is required to be enrolled on the Training pathway of the similar training programme. This doesn’t take into account previous experience and qualifications.
• It’s too long. The programme lasts for 18 months, and GPs need support now.
• One provider stifles innovation – CPPE are a great provider of CPD, but the fact that they are the only provider delivering the programme is not ideal.
• It is stopping pharmacists who are new to Primary Care making a difference now.

The Clinical Pharmacist Training Pathway is the only way.

There is an inherent insult in the Clinical Pharmacist Training Pathway. Its implies that the only way to develop pharmacists to become competent clinicians is to complete the pathway. This is plainly not the case. The trailblazers for clinical pharmacist practice completed  Diplomas and IP training well before the Pathway was even conceived.

If a pharmacist already has these qualifications, wouldn’t a better way be to assess each pharmacist individually? This could be done against The Competency Framework for Prescribers and a PDP agreed

ARRS Restrictions

PCNs and GPs want their Clinical Pharmacist to make a difference straight away. However, the need to spend so much time training in the first 2 years limits this. This means limited impact and benefits in practice, and many experienced Clinical Pharmacists who have completed Clinical Diplomas and IP training, usually at their own cost being put off.

How Long?

18 months is a long time to complete the programme. If the benefit will not be seen in practice for 18 months because the programme is spread over that time frame, wouldn’t it be worth condensing the training over 2-3 months?

One Provider = a problem.

I have nothing against the CPPE at all and they have some brilliant programmes. However, there are other fantastic providers out there who may be more innovative and I’m a big believer in competition. Private Providers like Red Whale and Morph may be able to develop an alternative programme that delivers against the Contract DES requirements and competencies and I’m sure Pharmacy Schools other than Manchester could help too.

Limiting Benefit now

The Clinical Pharmacist Training Programme is telling pharmacist now that they can’t complete Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) and support Care Home Patients until they have completed the modules on the Pathway. As far as I understand it, these modules are available to the non-pathway pharmacist to complete anyway. So, if the PCNs need Clinical Pharmacist to complete SMRS to deliver against their contract DEC, why not just complete them now so they can help now?

The Way Forward

The Clinical Pharmacist Training Pathway is great in theory, but the reality is that it needs to be more flexible and deliver benefit to PCNs and their member practices quicker. It feels like a programme has been developed in a University by experts in education with little input from Clinicians on the ground.  The fact that many pharmacists are already applying for other positions suggests that not only are the PCNs and Practices not getting what they want from the Clinical Pharmacist Training Pathway but neither are the pharmacists.

To discuss how Medacy’s Fully Managed Pharmacist-led Clinical Pharmacist could support PCNs and Practices, please call 01677 252205 or email shaun@medacy.co.uk or message via one of the social media channels below.

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