The Initial Education and Training Standards
of Pharmacists reforms (IETP)
In January 2021, the GPhC published the revised Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists. This is an exciting moment for the profession, as it provides a set of new learning outcomes that:
Span the whole 5-year initial training period (MPharm degree and the Foundation Training Year) and can link to a continuum of development into post-registration.
Provide newly qualified pharmacists with the necessary consultation skills and confidence to provide the clinical services expected by patients and the NHS, working across health systems.
Will enable pharmacists to be independent prescribers at the point of registration. This will be implemented in 2025/26 when the full learning outcomes are introduced. Interim learning outcomes are being used before reaching this point.
NHS England Workforce, Training and Education Directorate (formerly known as HEE) will play a key role in these reforms, more information can be found on the initial education and training of pharmacists - reform programme website below.
When these reforms were announced we developed the Early Careers (EC) programme to prepare the system for these changes, supported by Early Careers Training Programme Director (EC TPD). Outputs of the work can be found in the page below.