Reflections from The Pharmacy Show, and looking to the future

Nicola Stockmann, President, APTUK 

Following on from the 2024 Pharmacy Show, a big topic of conversation recently has been legislation changes and what they mean in practice for Pharmacy Technicians. It was wonderful to hear from so many delegates about their view for a collaborative approach, demonstrating a real recognition of the value of the entire pharmacy team. We are more than the sum our parts if we work together to foster an inclusive and supportive work environment, where the entire pharmacy team can develop. 

It was wonderful to represent pharmacy technicians in a range of sessions, including influencing policy and government, the UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board, the future of community pharmacy and understanding legislation changes in practice for pharmacy technicians. We still await the outcome of the supervision consultation which would enable further expansions of scope of practice for pharmacy technicians.  

With all enablers to scope of practice, whether it is Pharmacy Technicians and enablers such as PGDs or supply of take home naloxone, or independent prescribing as part of Pharmacist initial education - we must remember that pharmacy must be agile, and to ensure that we expand the scope of our entire pharmacy team and invest through time, support and a vote of confidence in looking past the traditional - the future cannot be served by past thinking, and nor should our patients and public expect us to not be responsive to their healthcare needs. 

We have seen investment in community pharmacy through the NHS England community pharmacy technician apprenticeship programme. This programme will support pre-registration trainee Pharmacy Technicians (PTPTs) to be employed and complete their full 24-month apprenticeship training within a community pharmacy setting. The expressions of interest submitted were noted by Liz Fidler in her NHSE session, informing us that it was oversubscribed - this demonstrates there is a real acknowledgement of the value of Pharmacy Technicians in the community pharmacy team, particularly with the changes to scope of practice and legislation enablers of 2024! 

It was wonderful to meet with so many community pharmacy colleagues at the conference and have a stand where we can be visible and accessible. The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK are the professional leadership body for Pharmacy Technicians, we represent Pharmacy Technicians who have varied areas of practice and post-qualification successes and passions - as showcased in the Pharmacy Technician theatre, and all the other theatres too! It is essential we meet and speak to as many of you as possible - for all pharmacy teams, leaders and organisations cannot work in siloes, nor should we want to.