NHS Education for Scotland
A skilled and sustainable workforce for a healthier Scotland
NHS Education for Scotland
A skilled and sustainable workforce for a healthier Scotland
The main components of the FTY include; a centralised recruitment process, a standardised training programme and quality management of the national programme.
The reforms to Pharmacist Initial Education and Training introduce important changes to ensure pharmacists are equipped for their future roles. The implementation of these reforms will transform the education and training of pharmacists, so they are able to play a much greater role in providing clinical care to patients and the public from their first day on the register, including by prescribing medicines. To find out more information and to stay up to date with developments, select the following link Initial Education and Training reforms for 2025/26 - Communications page
The FTY seeks to prepare pharmacists for registration, with the knowledge and skills defined in the GPhC Learning Outcomes (LOs), and the ability to deliver pharmaceutical services across the sectors in NHS Scotland.
NES Pharmacy has developed a structured NES FTY core curriculum to support trainee pharmacists as they progress through their 52 weeks of training and aim to sit the GPhC Common Registration Assessment. This is supported by a NES FTY Assessment strategy.
Trainee pharmacists will have covered underpinning knowledge at MPharm therefore during FTY there is an increased focus on application of clinical skills in practice.
In developing the FTY curriculum, NES has aligned with the GPhC Learning Outcomes and aims for a smooth transition from MPharm to FTY and again from FTY to the NES Post-registration Foundation Programme.
The NES FTY Core curriculum supports the trainee pharmacists as training progresses at their training site. This curriculum is delivered as a hybrid model of ‘face to face’ and online training, which includes online materials and resources, live online webinars, pre-recorded presentations with specialist practitioners, facilitated virtual discussion groups and in-person training events which include NES Pharmacy update sessions.
Materials are released as blocks of training each lasting for approximately 10 weeks. During these blocks, trainee pharmacists work their way through materials covering different clinical and professional topics, informed by the GPhC Registration Assessment Framework and the LOs.
Resources, including e-learning materials are available across a range of clinical topics. Both mandatory and optional resources are provided, with trainee pharmacists having influence over which materials best meet their own individual learning needs as identified by their self-assessment.
All resources are available through Turas Learn (the NES Learning platform) with trainee pharmacists given clear guidance on how they can progress through the materials. Opportunity is provided during the facilitated virtual discussion groups to discuss progress with these materials and address any questions.
The NES Pharmacy team are responsible for ensuring the quality management of the FTY to the standards set by the General Pharmaceutical Council and work collaboratively with employers, designated supervisors (DSs), Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPPs) and other partners to design, manage and monitor FTY training across Scotland.
The quality management process centres on the approval of the training sites and the approval and training of designated supervisors.
NES Pharmacy have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the GPhC which allows NES to undertake training site approvals on behalf of the regulator for all training sites which require to be registered with the GPhC for FTY training. The approval criteria will ensure that the necessary facilities and support are in place to provide the trainee pharmacists with the level of training required. This process also approves training sites for use for experiential learning for student pharmacists in Scotland.
NES Pharmacy ensures that all designated supervisors are suitably trained, approved and provided with on-going educational support to meet quality standards and facilitate on-going development of individuals as designated supervisors. The NES Pharmacy approval of designated supervisors is based on the GPhC criteria, with the additional requirement to participate in NES Pharmacy designated supervisors training.
The obligation of employers to participate in the FTY quality assurance processes is detailed in an Educational Agreement or Service Level Agreement between NES Pharmacy and the approved training provider. The employers are required to sign the agreement to participate in the FTY and to receive funding.
Every year a small number of trainee pharmacists will encounter concerns with their training. These can range from personal problems to issues with the supervision relationship. Whatever the problem, it is best to seek support at the earliest possible opportunity. In the first instance it is best for trainee pharmacists and designated supervisors to try to resolve the concern locally. Where their concern is more troublesome, our classification matrix can help identify what further support may be required. To access this guidance please view the following link: Classification Matrix for support and concerns relating to Foundation Training Year.
To hear more about our managing concerns pathway please watch this short video:
If the concern is still not resolved after early intervention within the employing organisation, the NES FTY team should be contacted. Please use the following contact forms to share your concern:
We coordinate a centralised recruitment process whereby the selection of suitable eligible candidates into the Foundation Training Year is by means of a standardised, quality assured process. The placement of successful trainee pharmacists is focused on the both the preferences of the trainee and the training provider.
The Foundation Training Year gives trainee pharmacists the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and experience in real-life situations under the guidance and supervision of a GPhC approved designated supervisor.
For more information and guidance on the recruitment process, you can access the Pharmacy Recruitment - Foundation training pages on our website.