Pre-Registration Pharmacist Training

Foundation Training Year Pharmacist Training

NHS Lanarkshire’s wide ranging comprehensive training programme

Study day programme - Foundation Training Pharmacist Scheme - West of Scotland Hospitals - NHS Lanarkshire

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Sample NHSL Foundation Training projects

NHS Lanarkshire

NHS Lanarkshire serves a population of over 650,000 people and is one of the largest Health Boards in Scotland. We have Foundation Training Year places at our three acute hospital sites; University Hospital Hairmyres, University Hospital Monklands and University Hospital Wishaw.

We care about the people we serve and our ambition is to be a quality-driven organisation that is focused on achieving a healthier life for all. Our pharmacy teams work together to provide innovative, high-quality, person centred pharmaceutical care.

We achieve this through a wide range of pharmacy services, including in-patient and out-patient dispensing, distribution, procurement and clinical trials, aseptic services (a new unit centralised at University Hospital Monklands) and medicines information (centralised at University Hospital Hairmyres).

Our experienced clinical pharmacy teams are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team in a number of core specialties including A&E, medicine, surgery, critical care and medicine for the older adult. In addition, our specialist pharmacy teams work in paediatrics, renal medicine, mental health, infectious diseases, oncology and haematology, gastroenterology and dermatology.

Many of our clinical pharmacists are prescribers and utilise their qualifications in advanced clinical roles in A&E and specialist clinics, as well as throughout our inpatient wards. Our electronic prescribing system (HEPMA) is fully implemented across all three hospitals.

The NHS Lanarkshire values of Fairness, Respect, Working Together and Quality underpin our purpose, providing local focus and context for the improvement of our services and guiding our individual and team behaviours.

NHS Lanarkshire has a friendly, sociable and forward thinking pharmacy team who embrace new ways of working and have won awards for our practice.

Your Foundation Training Year

You will experience a comprehensive foundation training year programme with us. NHS Lanarkshire offers 6 training places per year, with 2 based at each of our three acute sites.

You will work across a wide range of clinical areas, as well as dispensary, aseptic, medicines information, procurement services and primary care. There are specialist placements in oncology, renal, infectious diseases, mental health and paediatrics.

We have an enthusiastic Pharmacy Education and Training Team who are committed to maintaining excellent standards in the education and training of all pharmacy staff and who have close links with both Scottish Schools of Pharmacy. They will work closely to support you and your Designated Supervisor throughout the year. You will attend NES, West of Scotland and NHS Lanarkshire training days, mock exams, mock interviews and complete a quality improvement project.

We are fully committed to the GPhC and NES standards for foundation training with the aim of developing competent and confident pharmacist practitioners prepared to meet the needs of patients and the public.

Our foundation training year has an excellent record of success and many of our former trainee pharmacists go on to continue their careers as registered pharmacists within NHS Lanarkshire.

NHS Lanarkshire promotes equality and diversity.

Alice Deasy, Trainee Pharmacist University Hospital Hairmyres

“I have really enjoyed my FTY training at University Hospital Hairmyres. The pharmacy team is very supportive and friendly, and all of the staff are incredibly helpful. Hairmyres is also a great hospital site to work in. It is a relatively small-sized hospital which allows you to get to know the teams very well and build good working relationships with doctors, nurses, and other multidisciplinary team members.

“I have enjoyed all of my rotations, including my time spent on the medical and surgical wards and multiple dispensary blocks. I have also really enjoyed all of the interesting specialist placements including oncology and paediatrics. In addition, I have had the opportunity to undertake cross-sector placements in community pharmacy and primary care which have helped me to build my knowledge of the wide variety of pharmacy roles.

“Furthermore, in NHS Lanarkshire you are provided with lots of education and training support including multiple mock exams leading up to the final registration assessment and teaching sessions on exam topics such as P medicines, all of which are very helpful.

“I would strongly recommend undertaking your FTY training with NHS Lanarkshire, and I hope you will find it as great as I have!”

Patrick McClair, Pre-registration Pharmacist, University Hospital Monklands

“I have found all of the E&T team, my pre-registration tutor and all pharmacists within the health board very supportive and helpful, providing me with an excellent training year overall. I would highly recommend NHS Lanarkshire for any Trainee Pharmacist looking to gain experience within a well-organised and supportive environment which prepares you well to become a pharmacist.”

Anna Matheson, Trainee Pharmacist University Hospital Hairmyres

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my foundation training year within NHS Lanarkshire. The education & training team have been very supportive throughout the year with regular study days and mock exams to help with your studying. You will rotate through a variety of areas such as dispensary and clinical, including some specialist placements like mental health, oncology and paediatrics. I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of different healthcare professionals, such as senior pharmacists, doctors and nurses who have always been very helpful.

“The NHS Lanarkshire team have encouraged me to take as many training opportunities as possible and accommodated my learning needs throughout the year, for example, I was able to spend time with the specialist diabetes nurse to learn about the different types of insulin and devices available. In addition, spending 4 weeks in community pharmacy enabled me to gain knowledge of OTC medicines and develop my leadership skills.

“I would highly recommend completing your foundation training year within Lanarkshire.”

Michael Hillhouse, Pharmacist, University Hospital Monklands

“My pre-registration year in NHS Lanarkshire was an enjoyable and rewarding experience. I found this a very welcoming health board, especially the pharmacy teams across each site.

“I had a wide variety of training opportunities to support my development and help prepare me for life as a qualified band 6 pharmacist. “

Conor Cronin, Pharmacist, University Hospital Monklands

“My pre-registration training consisted of a very well-rounded programme. I received experience in a variety of specialities, which was invaluable for preparing me to become a clinical pharmacist.

“I really enjoyed my training in NHS Lanarkshire. I felt like part of the pharmacy team from the beginning and always had an amazing support network to help me through my training.”

Aqsa Ali, Pharmacist, University Hospital Monklands

“Through various rotations ranging from clinical/ dispensary/ medicines information and aseptic, NHS Lanarkshire provided me with a great foundation of knowledge and equipped me well for my future role as a band 6 pharmacist.

“NHS Lanarkshire also has an incredible network to help support and develop each individual.”

Stephanie Newberry, Pharmacist University Hospital Wishaw

“I enjoyed having the opportunity to work across three sites gaining experience in various specialities to broaden my clinical knowledge.”

Patrick McClair, Pre-registration Pharmacist, University Hospital Monklands

“I have had an excellent time as a Pre-Registration Pharmacist within NHS Lanarkshire, and the training has prepared me well for my career as a pharmacist. The training timetable is very well rounded and has allowed me to spend time within various clinical and non-clinical areas (e.g. general medical/surgical wards, dispensary and community pharmacy, in addition to specialist placements such as Mental Health, Paediatrics and Oncology).”

Claire Newlands, Pharmacist, University Hospital Wishaw

“Completing my pre-registration year at University Hospital Monklands has prepared me to work confidently and proficiently as a qualified pharmacist.

“Training as part of the hospital pharmacy team allowed me to learn from a variety of experienced pharmacists to help develop my own practice. In particular, the experience I gained in the various specialties across the hospitals; paediatrics, renal medicine, infectious diseases, mental health and aseptic services provided me with a well-rounded training year.

“This range of experience that NHS Lanarkshire provided equipped me for taking the next steps in my pharmacy career.”

Abbie Fisher, Prescribing Support Pharmacist, Prescribing Support Team

“I undertook my pre-registration training in Hairmyres Hospital before going on to a Band 6 rotational role. During my time here I participated in a well rounded training programme which included working across all three acute sites to gain an insight to the different specialties that NHS Lanarkshire offered.

“I was supported through my training by an excellent team to prepare me for my pre-registration exam in the form of mock exams, local training days and weekly education and training sessions within the department.”

Meet the NHS Lanarkshire Pharmacy Team

Christine Gilmour, Director of Pharmacy, NHS Lanarkshire

Christine Gilmour discusses working in NHSL and the education and training opportunities on offer.

Pharmacy Department, University Hospital Hairmyres

Karen Patterson, Head of Pharmacy, provides an overview of working life as part of the pharmacy team in University Hospital Hairmyres. You will be guided through the key operational areas within the department.

Pharmacy Department, University Hospital Monklands

Jonathan Cavan, Head of Pharmacy, discusses the department, key operational areas and common goals for the team.

Pharmacy Department, University Hospital Wishaw

Gail Richardson, Head of Pharmacy, discusses the pharmacy department at University Hospital Wishaw and gives an overview of the key operational areas.

Paul McMillan, Senior Education and Training Pharmacist for Acute

Paul gives an overview of the education and training support offered to the foundation training pharmacists throughout their training year.

Foundation Pharmacists

Hear about working life as a newly qualified pharmacist following successful completion of pre-registration training.

Sarah Brady, Lead Medicines Information Pharmacist for Lanarkshire and Forth Valley

Sarah gives an overview of the work of the team and their approach to foundation training in medicines information.

University Hospital Monklands, Pre-registration pharmacists

Hear from our recent pre-registration pharmacists about their experience in Lanarkshire.

University Hospital Wishaw, Pre-registration pharmacists

Hear from our recent pre-registration pharmacists about their experience in Lanarkshire.

Primary care

Lloyd Kennett, Senior Education and training Pharmacist for Primary Care – provides information on the primary care team and the education and training on offer for foundation training and beyond.

Mhairi Hughes, Primary Care Pharmacist – gives an insight to the working life of a Foundation Pharmacist working in the Primary Care team.

Mental Health

Lorna Templeton, Lead Pharmacist Mental Health – talks you through the Pharmacy Mental health Services in NHS Lanarkshire and the training offered to foundation pharmacists.

Renal

Alison Yule, Lead Renal Pharmacist – talks you through the Pharmacy Renal Services in NHS Lanarkshire and the training offered to foundation pharmacists.

Oncology

John Milne, Lead Cancer Care Pharmacist – provides a brief overview of the Cancer Care Services in NHSL and discusses foundation training in cancer care.

Women and Children Health Pharmacy Team, University Hospital Wishaw

Women and Children Health Pharmacy Team – give an overview of the clinical pharmacy services and the foundation training they provide:

Lynsay McAulay- Senior Pharmacist Paediatrics
Jacqueline Rooney- Senior Pharmacist Neonates
Nicola Dunn – Clinical Pharmacist

Infectious Diseases and Blood Borne Virus (ID & BBV)

Kathleen, Lead Pharmacist – describes the clinical pharmacy services provided by the ID & BBV team
Pauline, Pharmacist – gives an overview of the ID & BBV Pharmacist role
Victoria, BBV Clincal Pharmacy Technician – gives an overview of her role