Criteria For Registration As A Pharmacy Technician In Great Britain

The GPhC has recently updated its criteria for registration as a pharmacy technician. Effective from 31st August, there are three routes to registration:

• Initial registration by UK and non-EEA trained pharmacy technicians
• Initial education by EEA-trained/registered pharmacy technicians
• Return to registration

The new criteria essentially match the previous guidance (December 2013), though criteria for registration for EEA-trained pharmacy technicians has been slightly expanded upon and become its own section.

The major difference, and one which will have a significant effect both within and outside of pharmacy, is that the supervision, direction and guidance requirement can now be amassed under a pharmacy technician. Within pharmacy, this will free-up time for the pharmacists, and allow technicians to be involved further with the training and development of their peers. Outside, pharmacy, particularly in dispensing practice, it will provide registration opportunities to those who have previously been unable to register through lack of pharmacist supervision.

The other major change is that ‘knowledge of English language’ has been added as a check point during the registration process, which is expanded upon within a separate document, ‘Registration as an EEA qualified pharmacy technician’. This document states ‘you are now required to provide evidence to show your knowledge of English with your application for registration’ and further instructions on how to do this are then given.

Criteria for registration as a pharmacy technician in Great Britain can be found by clicking here.