Medicines Optimisation Training Programme

Programme Details

Duration

12 months

Programme Director(s)

Costs

Non-PWDS Affiliated Trust

£445

PWDS Affiliated Trust

£295

Funded Places

No funded places available for this programme.

Programme Introduction

Welcome to the medicines optimisation training programme. The training programme has been designed to facilitate the development of pharmacy technicians and other healthcare professionals (where appropriate) in delivering medicines optimisation services. It is a holistic, competency-based training programme comprising of skills relating to managing patient’s medication requirements, drug history taking and medicines reconciliation.

The training programme meets the Nationally Agreed Framework for Medicines Management, as well as the National Occupational Standards (NOS) and the GPhC Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacy Technicians (IETs) 2017 providing a nationally recognised and transferable accreditation.

Entry Criteria

The following prerequistes must be met before application

The following prerequisites must be met before application:

PWDS has designed the following entry requirements to ensure that learners have sufficient experience in order to accept responsibility of the role.

Learners 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 recommendation and support from the Chief Pharmacist or designated deputy
  • Have a patient-facing role
  • Have a suitably qualified Educational Supervisor*
  • Be familiar with local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to the medicines optimisation role in which they will be working.

 

Learners wishing to register for the programme and do not meet these entry criteria are reviewed by the Medicines Optimisation Training Programme Director on a case-by-case basis.

*The Educational Supervisor should based within the learner’s trust/organisation and should be an appropriately experienced pharmacist; accredited medicines management/optimisation pharmacy technician/accredited healthcare professional or  have equivalent experience at the practice base to be acknowledged as occupationally competent*

Programme Features

The Training Programme consists of:

  • Underpinning knowledge activities to support and develop practice
  • Work-based evidence collection and e-portfolio building
  •  a virtual practice development day
  • Holistic Competency Based Assessments
  • Summative assessment interview
  • Certification

 

The Programme cost includes:

  • Virtual practice development day
  • Access to an e-portfolio to upload evidence
  • Training provider final assessment of evidence in the e-portfolio
  • Final summative assessment interview and formal certification
  • Learners and Educational supervisors are also able to access ongoing programme support by a PWDS Programme Support Officer (PSO).

 

Practice Development Day (PDD)

The PDD consists of a series of tutorials and workshops which provide the theoretical aspects of the relevant medicines optimisation activities. The day provides the opportunity for learners to network and share best practice and ask any questions that they have about their training and progress through the programme.

Practice Development Day dates

  • 26th of March 2026
  • 10th of June 2026
  • 14th of October 2026

 

Programme Description

The aim of the programme is to prepare learners for a patient facing role by:

  • Outlining the medicines optimisation roles
  • Describing the infra-structure to facilitate these
  • Addressing issues relating to the new working environment
  • Providing a  competency based framework for training and assessing learners, which is recognised nationally and meets the standards of the national framework
  • Encourage the further development of effective communication skills
  • Develop the learner’s professional awareness of pharmacy practice and accountability.

 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the training and assessment, the learner will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

  • Work within legislation and national, regional, and local policies, standard operating procedures and guidelines relating to Medicines Optimisation.
  • Apply professional responsibility for gaining consent, maintaining confidentiality, and working within Duty of Candour guidelines.
  • Confirm the process for using patients’ own drugs (PODs)
  • Assess patients’ own drugs to determine if they are suitable for use
  • Review patients’ own drugs for relabelling
  • Manage patients’ own drugs if unsuitable for use
  • Accurately order medicines for individual patients
  • Deal with a variety of initial and/or repeat supply issues
  • Facilitate the timely processing of orders
  • Identify and resolve risks/problems associated with the incorrect storage and stock control of individuals’ medicines
  • Level 1 – Medicines Reconciliation (Drug history taking) – Accurately complete, verify and record medication histories
  • Level 2 Medicines Reconciliation – Reconcile the verified medication history with the most recent prescription available
  • Communicate the outcomes of the level 1 or level 2 medicines reconciliation process
  • Complete all documentation accurately and legibly

Method of Delivery

  • Resources provided to support self directed learning
  • Reflective Practice
  • Local policy and procedures relating to scope of practice
  • Virtual Practice Development Day (PDD) training event

 

Method of Assessment

  • Evidence collection
  • Holistic competency based observations
  • PWDS assessment of e-portfolio
  •  local summative assessment interview

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about this Programme

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

For general enquiries or in case of Programme Director absence:

Email: pwds@uhbw.nhs.uk

Telephone: 0117 342 6677

Enrolment

Step One

Programme Application

In order to complete your application you will need:

* A Purchase Order (PO) Number and digital copy of the FULL PO document, including invoicing details to upload (you can find details about POs in the frequently asked questions section of the programme page)

* Your educational supervisor details including email address

Please check the entry requirements of the programme carefully before application. If you have any questions please get in touch with the Training Programme Director.

Step Two

Application to attend a Practice Development Day (PDD)

Please only apply for a Practice Development Day (PDD) if you have received confirmation that you have been accepted onto the programme. You can attend a PDD at any point during your training period, however, we advise attending a PDD in the first 3 months of commencing the training programme.
  • Medicines Optimisation - Practice Development Day - October 14, 2026 - 9:30 am - 3:30 pm

You must be enrolled on this programme to apply for this step

Step Three

Application for Local Assessment Interview Pack

Once you have completed your e-portfolio of evidence you will need to apply for your local assessment interview pack.
Once we have accepted the application the interview pack will be emailed to you educational supervisor.

You must be enrolled on this programme to apply for this step

Programme Resources

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