Frequently Asked Questions

The Foundation programme is predominantly a work based programme completed over a period of 2.5 years.  There are two stages to the programme and further information on each can be found on the foundation programme details page. 

There are 8 of these in Stage 1, roughly monthly during academic term times. Practitioners will be asked to complete workbooks in advance which will form the basis for discussion during the learning sets. The learning sets are designed to encourage discussion of how cases would be managed in practice taking into account current guidelines. The learning is intended to consolidate the clinical curriculum learning outcomes which are covered at base.  Stage 1 study days are repeated in the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The stage 2 learning sets focus on the non clinical learning outcomes and support the management and organisation cluster of the Foundation Pharmacist Framework. There are 3 learning sets for each module plus a day for assessment.   

This is outlined in the Guidance on Allocation of Protected Time Document. Click below to access the document.

It supports the in the management of the contract of the programme and manage the foundation board. It also supports the workplace provision of the programme through quality management, Educational Supervisor training and Education Programme Director networking.

Your educational supervisor is with you throughout the whole programme and is responsible for signing you as competent at the end of the programme. They will meet with you regularly to review your progress and support your development. A practice supervisor is the person who oversees your training and assessment in a specific named specialty or rotation. They will provide you with regular feedback during that specific training period and normally undertake supervised learning events with you. In some situations your ES and PS may be the same person.

If there is sufficient notice you should be able to change and attend a different set as a one off. You need to contact both your regular academic facilitator and the set academic facilitator you want to switch to as soon as possible.  

Your progress will be monitored within your Trust by your Educational Supervisor and Local Faculty Group. If you fall behind, they will discuss options with you such as an action plan to catch up or possibly deferring to a future cohort. If you have missed learning sets, the University academic facilitator may be involved in the discussion. The decision will be tailored to your individual situation.

The University will contact you with the results of assignments and how to register for the next assessment. Practitioners who fail one or more components will get feedback from the programme lead after the examination board and will be advised of resit dates. 

If you are a 2017 FS1 trainee you can defer, as long as you start FS2 by September 2019. If you are a 2018 FS1 trainee, you cannot as you will need to start FS2 in September 2019 to obtain a funded place.

If you have already enrolled on the programme and moving within Kent Surrey and Sussex there is no issue provided your new employer has had Foundation Pharmacists in the past. If not, they need to liaise with HEE to ensure the necessary educational supervision and quality management arrangements are in place. If you move to a Trust outside of Kent, Surrey and Sussex you can stay on that stage provided that the University is satisfied with the level of workplace support you will have access to. If you moved employers to outside of Kent Surrey Sussex during stage 1, you will not automatically have access to stage 2. This will be a decision for the University depending on their capacity. Priority for places will be given to pharmacists employed with Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

No  

This is down to local employers and their policies.

If you remain within Kent, Surrey, Sussex or London you will have full access to the e-portfolio. If you move outside of Kent, Surrey, Sussex or London, your e-portfolio access with be locked and you will have read only function.