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Pharmacy Updates, January 2026

Participating in National Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Recruitment 2026 (2027 intake) via Oriel - EMPLOYER APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

  • General practices and primary care networks (PCNs) can employ Foundation Trainee Pharmacists for up to 52 weeks.
  • Having a trainee pharmacist can help to support with day-to-day workload within the practice contributing towards multiple QOF indicators e.g. Hypertension, Cholesterol control and Diabetes. They could also support with vaccination and immunisation (see Appendix 1): NHS England Foundation Trainee Pharmacists – Information for General Practice/ PCNs
  • Each foundation trainee pharmacist must have a pharmacist lead Designated Supervisor , who is normally based at the primary training site/ place of employment.
  • During the training year, trainee pharmacists need to undertake a minimum of 90 hours of learning focussed on developing and demonstrating the skills and capabilities of a prescribing practitioner under DPP supervision. The DPP does not  need to directly supervise all 90 hours and may delegate to other appropriately qualified members of the healthcare team.
  • The training must also include access to a setting with a registered dispensary e.g Community pharmacy.

  • NHS England will provide nationally-advertised funding to each site employing a foundation trainee pharmacist. The level of funding for the 2025/26 training year is £27,295 per trainee pharmacist. This funding will be a contribution to all costs of hosting a trainee, including supervision, administration and salary costs.

If you wish to be part of 2026 national recruitment for the 2027-28 training year, you must register via the  employer programme information online form .  Registration   opens on Thursday 8 January . The deadline to submit your form(s) is  midday on Tuesday 3 March 2026 .  Please note late submissions will not be accepted.  

For all further information please refer to the  Employer Handbook.

Employer Support Sessions

In the South East, NHS England are holding employer support sessions to provide you with the opportunity to discuss Oriel submissions, ask any questions you may have and network with other placement providers in the South East. Please find the times and meeting links below:


If you have any other questions or would like some support locally, please contact Ritienne Fenech (Surrey Heartlands Pharmacy Workforce Transformation Programme Lead): Ritienne.fenech@nhs.net

Surrey Heartlands (SH) Pharmacy Funded Courses – Updated December 2025

The Surrey Heartlands Pharmacy Funded Courses list has been updated and approved by the Surrey Heartlands Medicines Optimisation Operational Group on the 3rd December. It now includes funded training on Frailty, Polypharmacy and Deprescribing, Structured Medication Reviews, Decision-support and Decision-Making Skills.

As pharmacist and pharmacy technician roles are evolving at pace, it has been recognised that there is a need to support the current pharmacy workforce to enhance their skillset; supporting service transformation and readiness for expanded clinical and supervisory roles and in being able to adapt and work across different sectors. The attached list is not exhaustive but could signpost pharmacy professionals and managers to some available funded resources, both nationally and locally. This resource can be used to support any pharmacy professional in:

  • developing their knowledge around specific areas of clinical/ service delivery,
  • providing a foundation if changing sector of work, and
  • highlighting resources for non-clinical skills development.

  Kindly share with your pharmacy networks: Pharmacy Training Resources : Surrey Training Hub

NHS England/ ProPharmace – Funded Pharmacy Educational Supervisors (ES)  and  Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPP) Training

We have now had confirmation that NHS England is funding this training via ProPharmace. They have availability for another 250 DPPs (multi-professional and multi-sector) and 350 pharmacy professionals from any sector for the ES/DS program. Please see the flyers linked above and the ProPharmace website for further information on signing up:  https://www.propharmace.com/est/ .

Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) Surrey & Sussex Branch events January 2026

These offer excellent opportunities to connect, learn, and engage with pharmacy professionals across the region. Whether you’re a current APTUK member or exploring APTUK for the first time, we’d love you to come along. If you’re not yet a member, you’re invited to join us for a free taster session.

APTUK Surrey and Sussex Branch Welcome Meeting

Date: 19 January
Time: 1:00–2:00 PM

Join us for an interactive session to meet your local APTUK branch committee and learn more about how APTUK supports pharmacy technicians.

What to expect:

  • An introduction to APTUK and its role in supporting pharmacy technicians
  • Meet the Surrey & Sussex Branch committee and hear about upcoming plans
  • Networking and discussion to share ideas and experiences
  • Q&A session on membership and involvement

Whether you’re already a member or thinking about joining, this is a great opportunity to get involved and be part of your professional community.
Register here

APTUK Surrey & Sussex Branch Meeting: Neurodiversity and Lived Experiences in Pharmacy

Date: 27 January Time:  7:00 PM

Speaker: Niamh Macey, Pharmacy Technician

Join us for an inspiring and informative evening as Niamh Macey  shares her lived experience of neurodiversity and her insights into working within pharmacy practice. The registration link is: Surrey & Sussex APTUK Branch Meeting | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams . This session is a fantastic opportunity to:

  • Gain valuable APTUK updates
  • Network with fellow pharmacy professionals
  • Learn, reflect, and share experiences in a supportive environment

About the speaker:
Niamh is a neurodivergent Pharmacy Technician working in South East England. Autistic and ADHD, she has over four years of NHS experience and has delivered talks on autism and neurodiversity to organisations including Brighton & Hove City Council, University Hospitals Sussex, and BHISS. Her mission is to help make the world more neurodiversity‑friendly.

🔗 Connect with Niamh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamh-macey/

📺 YouTube channel: Autism and Niamh Register here

Pharmacy Updates, December 2025

CPPE - Primary care pharmacy education pathway (PCPEP) applications for January 2026 cohort open now!

Are you a pharmacist or pharmacy technician working in a GP practice, care home, Health & Justice, or Armed Forces setting? The NHS-funded Primary care pharmacy education pathway (PCPEP) offers the training and support you need to thrive in multidisciplinary primary care teams.

Designed and delivered by CPPE, PCPEP combines flexible study options with continuous assessment and dedicated support from experienced education supervisors. You’ll develop essential clinical, consultation and leadership skills tailored to your role in primary care. The pathway is 15 months for pharmacy technicians, 18 months for pharmacists.

Places on our January 2026 cohort are limited and already filling fast.

Find out more and apply today .

Pharmacy Updates, November 2025

The Pharmacy Professionals Task Matrix

This was developed during a Surrey Heartlands Pharmacy Workforce Group focused meeting (June 2025) with representatives from several sectors across the ICS. It provides examples of tasks, including clinical activities, working under a Patient Group Directive (PGD) and administrative and collaborative tasks, that could be undertaken by various pharmacy professionals including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

The Pharmacy Professionals Task Matrix enables employers, managers and PCN educators to:

  • understand the difference in roles of pharmacy professionals and the importance of pharmacy staffing skill mix,
  • identify and potentially address gaps in pharmacy-related activities,
  • recognise the limits of individual training and competence and
  • provide opportunities for pharmacy workforce development.

Pharmacy Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) – Opportunities for Pharmacy Workforce Development

In addition to the current named pharmacy roles eligible to access ARRS funding, the following groups of pharmacy staff are also now eligible for access to ARRS funding, through the Direct Patient Care (DPC) category with the support of the local PCN and ICB.

  • Pharmacy Technician Apprentices
  • Pharmacy Technician Educational Supervisor (ES) Role
  • Clinical Pharmacist Designated Supervisor (DS) and Designated Prescribing Practitioner Role (DPP)

These roles will be accessible via the ‘Direct Patient Contact (DPC)’ option. ARRS funding may be used for a DPP (or other supervisor) role, as long as the supervisory role is not already funded through another mechanism. For more information, click on Pharmacy ARRS Opportunities and FAQs .

Pharmacy technician development programme: Preparing for the future

NHS England and the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) are pleased to announce the launch of the “Pharmacy technician development programme: Preparing for the future”. 

About the training programme

  Preparing for the future is designed to build confidence and support pharmacy technicians to develop their skills to deliver a wider range of services, now and into the future.

Open to all pharmacy technicians, this flexible and supportive programme aims to support the development of clinical confidence, leadership skills, and professional practice. Participants will be supported throughout the programme by a dedicated education supervisor, and the programme is designed to offer a flexible, supportive learning experience, designed collaboratively with each pharmacy technician.

Delivered between October 2025 and March 2026, pharmacy technicians will engage in structured learning that enhances clinical, leadership, and decision-making skills. The programme will particularly focus on supporting pharmacy technicians to adapt to the evolving scope of practice, including recent changes to supervision legislation, the expansion of the Pharmacy First service, and the use of Patient Group Directions.

At the start of the programme, learners will work with their education supervisor to identify their individual development needs and will be supported thereafter to meet these, progressing at a pace that suits them.

Further information

 For more information and to apply for an NHS England funded place on this programme, visit the CPPE Website

  • Please contact info@cppe.ac.uk with any further enquiries about this exciting training offer.

Visit our website to find out more about NHS England Pharmacy Workforce Training offers .

Trainee Pharmacists 2025/26 - Multi-sector Programme Resources for Training Sites

It is recommended that multi-sector programmes have Rotation Agreements between sites and with the trainee pharmacist respectively. Training site may consider using the Template Agreement for Multi-Sector Rotations available on the FTPP hub or an alternative template.

The Foundation Trainee Pharmacist: Multi-Sector Rotation Guide provides guidance for supervisors across all sectors, trainee pharmacists and other staff .   CPPE offer a number of sector-specific resources for trainee pharmacists including:

Funding for Modules in the Master’s in Genomic Medicine

The National Genomics Education Programme (NHS England) have confirmed that funding applications are now open for the 2025/26 financial year for modules within the Master’s in Genomic Medicine framework. Funding is currently available for modules starting before 31 st March 2026.

Applicants can initially receive funding for up to four modules. Upon successful completion, you may apply for further funding – up to a total equivalent of 12 modules – to complete the full Master’s degree.

Full details on eligibility and how to apply can be found on the Genomics Education Programme website , and in the funding rules of each module . Please note that to be eligible, applicants must be working under an NHS contract in England and have the support of their line manager.

If you are aware of any eligible colleagues who may be interested, please encourage them to contact their chosen university as soon as possible so their details can be submitted for NHS England funding.

Further information on Genomics and Pharmacogenomics is found on the training hub pharmacy page: Genomic Medicine and Pharmacogenomics: Surrey Training Hub

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