UKMi Accredited Medicines Information Training Programme for Pharmacy Technicians (AMITTS)

Programme Details

Duration

months

Programme Director(s)

Kate Postle, Michele Skipp

Costs

Non-PWDS Affiliated Trust

MISSING COST

PWDS Affiliated Trust

MISSING COST

Funded Places

No funded places available for this programme.

Programme Introduction

This programme is currently under review. The new updated version of the programme is expected to launch in February 2024, and we will start accepting applications in the next few months.

The new programme will be a robust, accessible, relevant, quality assured programme, endorsed by UKMI and delivered by PWDS.

The UKMi Accredited Medicines Information Training Programme for Pharmacy Technicians is managed by Pharmacy Workforce Development South (PWDS) and is available nationally. PWDS took over the delivery for the programme on the 1st December 2022.

This training programme is aimed at registered pharmacy technicians (where registration is a requirement), who are undertaking medicines information roles in a medicines information setting and who wish to become an UKMi accredited Medicines Information Pharmacy Technician.

Entry Criteria

The following prerequistes must be met before application

The following prerequisites must be met before application

The following entry requirements have been designed to ensure that trainees have appropriate experience and suitability for the role.

Trainees must meet the following criteria:

Be registered with their professional regulatory body (where registration is a requirement), for example, in Great Britain registration is with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
Have two years post qualification within hospital pharmacy experience that is considered to be appropriate and relevant
Have recommendation and support from the Senior Pharmacy Manager and Medicines Information Manager
Have a regular role in Medicines Information and be permanently based in Medicines Information. (If working less than two and a half days a week in Medicines Information, it may be more difficult to obtain sufficient evidence for accreditation within the timescale)
Have a named educational Supervisor (mentor) based within the trainees trust/organisation who is an appropriately experienced specialist Medicines Information Pharmacist.

If a trainee does not meet the entry criteria please contact the training programme director.

Programme Features

This programme is for registered pharmacy technicians (where registration is a requirement), who are undertaking medicines information roles and who wish to become an UKMi accredited Medicines Information Pharmacy Technician.

The programme comprises of:

1 day virtual induction event
Underpinning knowledge activities to support and develop practice
Work-based evidence collection and e-portfolio building
1 day virtual practice development day event
Assessed enquiry types
Summative assessment interview
Regional e-portfolio assessment
Certification

The programme handbook gives further details about the structure and contents of the programme and assessment process. The programme handbook can be accessed from this site after registration for the programme.

Programme Description

Aims and Learning Outcomes

The aim of the programme is to prepare trainees for a medicines information role by:

Developing the trainee’s professional awareness of pharmacy practice and accountability of the pharmacy technician’s role in medicines information
Describing the methods for reporting errors and near misses and the importance of risk minimisation in medicines information.
Understanding the reasons for, and the importance of clear, comprehensive, and timely documentation.
Developing understanding of UKMI documentation requirements as defined by audit standards.
Describing standard search patterns specific to enquiry types, and their usefulness in effective answering of medicines information enquiries.
Understanding the benefits and limitations of individual medicines information reference sources and being able to access relevant information from appropriate sources.
Understanding how to answer enquiries using a patient-centred approach.
Developing skills of professional judgement.
Recognising barriers and ways to effectively communicate in the area of medicines information.
Outlining the medicines information roles.

These learning objectives must then be put into practice and evidenced through the trainee’s e-portfolio.

Method of Delivery

Virtual induction, Self-Directed Learning, Virtual Practice Development Day, Regionally facilitated Summative Assessment interview.

Method of Assessment

Local assessment in practice by educational supervisor and regional final summative assessment and e-portfolio assessment and sign off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read our comprehensive FAQs before submitting an enquiry

Questions about this Programme

Trainees are permitted a 12 month training duration to complete the evidence requirements and present for final assessment. As with any professional/personal development there is an expectation that trainees will undertake some of the learning in their own time. PWDS will accept requests from educational supervisors where specific circumstances have prevented the trainee from completing the programme with the specified training duration.
We will consider offering an extension if you are unable to complete due to periods of sick leave, maternity leave and special requirements etc. Extensions to the training period should be requested by the educational supervisor towards the end of the training period; at that point your progress to date and circumstances can be taken in account when agreeing how much time is necessary to complete the outstanding evidence. Please ask your educational supervisor to email the training programme director to request an extension with a brief outline of the reasons for the request.
We advise that the trainee’s nominated educational supervisor remains the same for the duration of the training in order to support continuity of training and assessment. PWDS recognise that there are occasions where a change in educational supervisor is unavoidable (e.g., where they have left the organisation or moved to another role). In this instance we request that the trainee or educational supervisor contact the training programme director for further guidance. We would normally require documented evidence of a handover of the trainee’s progress from the old to the new educational supervisor. This can be documented as a ‘regular review’ and uploaded to the trainees e-portfolio.
The learning pathway is a document that supports the trainee and educational supervisor to understand and journey through the relevant evidence requirements to complete the programme. The learning pathways also contain the templates used to record the practical skills evidence collection for the programme. Trainees and educational supervisors will be provided with the relevant learning pathway upon registration to the programme. If you experience any difficulties in accessing the learning pathway or any of the documents embedded then please contact the training programme director.
After enrolling onto the programme all trainees are required to attend a training provider facilitated one day virtual induction event. The induction consists of a series of tutorials and workshops which provide the theoretical aspects of the relevant medicines information activities. The day provides the opportunity for trainees to network and share best practice and ask any questions about the training programme. Topics included in the induction programme are: • Communication • Documentation in a medicines information role • E-portfolio building and background to the training programme • Error reporting and IRMIS • Using professional judgement and accountability

General FAQs

Answers to most common applications for each stage of the Programme process can be found on our dedicated Frequently Asked Questions page and is usually the quickest and easiest way to resolve most enquiries.

Please ensure you check this page before submitting a contact enquiry.

Contact

Programme Director

Kate Postle, Michele Skipp

For general enquiries or in case of Programme Director absence:

Email: pwds@uhbw.nhs.uk

Telephone: 0117 342 6677

Useful Links

The Association of Pharmacy Technicians United Kingdom (APTUK) is the national professional leadership body for pharmacy technicians working in all pharmacy sectors across all countries in the UK: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

APTUK work on behalf of pharmacy technicians securing and advocating the pharmacy technician profession and advancing the professions education and scope of practice.

Further details regarding APTUK can be found at the website here: https://www.aptuk.org/

Note: These links may lead to other web sites which are not under our control. We are not responsible for the content of any linked site. Listing and linking should not be taken as an endorsement of any kind and we accept no liability in respect of the content. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and have no control over the availability of the linked pages.

Enrolment

Step One

Programme Resources

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Programme Details

Duration

Programme Director(s)

Costs

Non-PWDS Affiliated Trust

PWDS Affiliated Trust

Funded Places

Programme Introduction

Entry Criteria

The following prerequistes must be met before application

Programme Features

Programme Description

Method of Delivery

Method of Assessment

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about this Programme

How long does it take to complete the training programme?

How do I ask for an extension to my training period?

Who can be the Educational Supervisor?

Can the Educational Supervisor change during the training?

What enquiry types are currently included in the training programme?

What is the learning pathway?

What is included in the induction event?

How do I contact the training programme director?

What are the assessment methods?

Is there a minimum of number of enquiry types that I need to undertake?

What if I have further questions?