Pharmacy Technicians' Roles and Responsibilities in the Community Pharmacy Sector: A Welsh Perspective.

Rebecca Chamberlain,Delyth James,Jan Huyton

doi:10.3390/pharmacy8020097

Rebecca Chamberlain, Delyth James + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy8020097

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Abstract

Background: Healthcare delivery models in Wales are changing in response to unprecedented pressure on the National Health Service UK (NHS). Community pharmacies will be prioritised to address public health and clinical needs at a local level. To support the delivery of the new model, pharmacy technicians must be enabled and developed to optimize their roles. The aim of the study was to establish existing roles of pharmacy technicians working in the community pharmacy sector in Wales and to explore barriers and enablers to development. Methods: A combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies was used, with the main focus on quantitative methods. A total of 83 participants completed an online questionnaire and additional qualitative data were obtained from four semi-structured telephone interviews. Results: The dispensing and final accuracy checking of medicines were reported as core functions of the community pharmacy technician role, with an average of 43% and 57% of time being spent on these roles, respectively. There was some evidence of engagement in leadership and management roles (average of 19%) and limited evidence of delivery of services (average of 6%). Conclusions: There is scope to enable community pharmacy technicians to optimize and further develop their roles. Enablers include the effective use of delegation, workplace support, improved staffing levels and the prioritisation of extended pharmacy technician roles.

Highlights

The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) is under immense pressure to deliver quality healthcare with restricted resources [1]
The results indicate that two thirds of participants felt their initial training had enabled sufficient development of the knowledge and skills required of the pharmacy technician role, with 68.7% scoring above the mid-point scale score of 15
The results show a wide range in scores, which suggests that there may be a lack of understanding around the initial education and training (IET) curriculum and the role of a pre-registration pharmacy technician, with 43.4% scoring at or above the midpoint scale of 6

Summary

Introduction

The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) is under immense pressure to deliver quality healthcare with restricted resources [1]. In Wales, community pharmacies have been identified as a strategic priority for enabling the local delivery of public health and clinical services, with less focus on the supply of medicines [1,2,3]. These proposed changes have the potential to impact on the future roles and responsibilities of the community pharmacy workforce in Wales. Healthcare delivery models in Wales are changing in response to unprecedented pressure on the National Health Service UK (NHS). To support the delivery of the new model, pharmacy technicians must be enabled and developed to optimize their roles. Enablers include the effective use of delegation, workplace support, improved staffing levels and the prioritisation of extended pharmacy technician roles

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