Commenting on the decision to increase the level of funding for each site employing a foundation trainee pharmacist in the 2025/26 training year to £26,500 per foundation trainee pharmacist. Malcolm Harrison, CEO of the CCA, said:
“We welcome NHS England’s decision to increase the level of funding available for foundation trainee pharmacists from 2025/26, which recognises the costs pharmacies incur when training the future pharmacy workforce.
The ability to use a proportion of funding to pay for cross-sector placements is also welcome – ensuing all foundation pharmacists have access to a prescribing environment and a designated prescribing practitioner.
It is important trainee pharmacists across all settings have access to a consistent training offer, and we welcome the announcement that the offer of funded training will be extended to community pharmacists. We look forward to working with the NHS as they scope out this offer.
Whilst there is still lots of work that needs to be undertaken to ensure initial education and training reforms are a success, we are confident that by working in partnership with NHS England we can ensure that pharmacists have the skills needed to deliver advanced clinical services such as independent prescribing”.