Homecare Services – Prescription Verification and Clinical Validation Training Programme

The following prerequisites must be met before application.

• A local risk assessment should be undertaken to identify governance requirements, ensure safe systems of work are in place, and determine any workflow changes needed when introducing delegation of prescription verification and clinical validation within the homecare service.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) must be updated to reflect the delegation of prescription verification and clinical validation to appropriately trained staff. These must be formally ratified and in place before learners begin the evidence collection stage of the training programme. For further information, please contact the training programme director.

Pharmacy Technicians

Before entry onto the programme, pharmacy technician applicants need to meet the following entry criteria:

• Be a registered pharmacy professional with the General Pharmaceutical Council: www.pharmacyregulation.org
• Nomination from the chief pharmacist and homecare services manager confirming that they are a suitable person for the role.
• Be an accredited/qualified Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technician or have completed a Pharmacy Technician qualification post 2021 and are active in a final accuracy checking role. Or have demonstrated significant experience in a homecare services setting.
• Demonstrate qualities and behaviours that are necessary to perform the prescription verification and/or clinical validation role, including professionalism, accountability, accuracy, and effective communication skills.
• Demonstrate good working knowledge of homecare service SOPs.
• Have a minimum of three months’ experience in providing homecare services, or have spent sufficient time becoming familiar with the department under the supervision, direction, or guidance of a pharmacy professional to whom they are directly accountable, prior to starting the training programme.
• Have access to an allocated educational supervisor within their organisation who is an appropriately experienced homecare pharmacist or a suitably trained and experienced homecare pharmacy technician.

Pharmacy Support Staff

Before entry onto the programme, pharmacy support staff need to meet the following entry criteria:

• Have achieved the relevant units in a level 2 pharmacy qualification
• Nomination from their chief pharmacist and homecare services manager confirming that they are a suitable person for the role.
• Be an accredited Final Accuracy Checker or have demonstrated significant experience in a homecare services setting.
• Demonstrate qualities and behaviours that are necessary to perform the prescription verification role, including professionalism, accountability, accuracy, and effective communication skills.
• Demonstrate a good working knowledge of homecare service SOPs, with a minimum of three months’ experience in providing homecare services. Alternatively, learners must have spent sufficient time becoming familiar with the department under the supervision, direction, or guidance of a pharmacy professional to whom they are directly accountable, prior to commencing the training programme.
• Have access to an allocated educational supervisor within their organisation who is an appropriately experienced homecare pharmacist or a suitably trained and experienced homecare pharmacy technician.

PWDS has designed the entry requirements to ensure that the trainee has sufficient homecare experience and has developed attributes and attitudes to accept the responsibility and accountability of the role.

NOTE:

If a learner does not meet the above entry criteria, please contact the training programme director to discuss potential options for application outside the standard entry requirements.

Educational Supervisor Criteria

To act as an educational supervisor, individuals must:

• Be a pharmacist or homecare pharmacy technician with experience that is consistent with the trust’s organisational risk policy.
• Have at least three years’ post qualification experience as a pharmacist/pharmacy technician.
• Have experience of supervising and organising staff.
• Demonstrate the ability and commitment to meet regularly with the trainee.
• Ideally be working in the Homecare services team to ensure maximum support.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the current Homecare Services Professional Standards
• Describe the legal and ethical framework of homecare prescription verification and clinical validation process.
• Understand the importance, development, review, and audit of standard operating procedures for the homecare prescription verification and clinical validation process.
• Understand the process of work-based assessments.
• Be familiar with the use of all homecare training programme prescription verification and clinical validation paperwork.
• Oversee and supervise the use of the programme documentation and evidence logs in the workplace prior to and during the assessment period.