Post-Registration Foundation Programme Group: learner

reference group
October 2021 Review by October 2023

Purpose of group:

 To provide a forum for learners in the NES Post-Registration Foundation Programme(s) for
pharmacists to engage with NES Pharmacy and the Post-Registration Foundation
Programme Group to promote the development of immediate post registration training
for newly qualified pharmacists as part of a career structure for pharmacists which is
applicable in all sectors of practice to meet the current and future needs of patients and
the public for continually improving services supported by innovation in professional
practice.
 To provide expert advice to the Post-Registration Foundation Programme Group on
matters relating to the immediate post registration education and training of newly
qualified pharmacists.
 To provide advice to assist with the development of curricula and in practice learning
experiences and assessment of learning to enable pharmacists to acquire core clinical and
professional knowledge skills and experience to enable them to progress towards
advanced practice as part of a pharmacist career structure applicable to all sectors of
practice.

Main functions of group:

To draw on the expertise of its members singularly and collectively to provide the following:

 Evaluation of evidence to support the Pharmacy Dean and the Post-Registration

Foundation Group on matters relating to the provision of a post qualification training for
newly qualified pharmacists in Scotland as part of a career structure for pharmacists to
promote the development of advancing practice to provide for the current and future
needs of patients.
 Provide expertise to enable a response to emerging workforce, practice and education
issues which will impact on the provision of post registration training for newly qualified
pharmacists.
 To consider information from the Post – Registration Foundation Group and provide
expertise directly to this group re implementation and development of the
programme.Encourage the development of skills as educators among newly qualified
pharmacists.
 To formulate plans to enable pharmacists to develop research and evaluation skills
needed to develop practitioners who are research informed and who can be further
developed to become research active and research leaders through an advanced
practitioner route.

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  Provide a forum to identify the need for formal post qualification academic modules to
assist with the development of foundation practice for newly qualified pharmacists.
 To review the NES Post-Registration Foundation programme in line with curricula as
appropriate (e.g. 2021 RPS curriculum)

Membership Specification:

Membership of the group will be drawn from:

 current learners in the Post-Registration Foundation Programme(s) for pharmacists

o from community practice and a variety of community contractors
o from the NHS Scotland Health Boards
 future learners in the Post-Registration Foundation Programme for Newly Qualified
Pharmacists (e.g. trainee pharmacists)

The group will be constituted to ensure a wide breadth of relevant experience and appropriate
representation to carry out its main functions.

The constitution of the group will be approved by the Associate Postgraduate Pharmacy Dean. The
group will comprise a minimum of 12 members.

All members of the group will:

Declare any conflicts of interest to the Chair of the group in advance of discussion of the item on
the agenda and act in an open and transparent manner without undue influence.

The group will be constituted to assure wide geographical and sectoral representation.

Governance and Reporting:

See Appendix 1 NES Pharmacy Education and Training Governance Structure.

The group is a subgroup of the Post-Registration Foundation Programme Group which reports to
the NES Pharmacy Deanery Professional Advisory Group (PAG) and provides advice directly to the
NES Pharmacy Postgraduate Dean and Pharmacy Deanery Executive Team.

The group interacts with other groups including professional pharmacy leadership groups and
other NES Pharmacy and other NES Health Professional Education and Training Strategic and
Working groups for cross fertilisation of ideas and to inform and be informed by the agendas of
these groups.

Time demands / Ways of working:

 The group will typically meet a maximum of four times a year. Meetings will primarily be
virtual but attendance at a face to face meeting may be required once per year.
 Members are expected to attend all meetings.

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  The majority of interactions will be virtual and communications by email. Members will
declare interests that may be a conflict considering the current agenda.
 The Chair will formally report activities to the Post-Registration Foundation Programme
Group.

Quorum:

 The group membership must be 50% +1 to be quorate.

Decision Making:

 Decisions should be reached via consensus.

 In exceptional circumstances a vote may be taken with the Chair having the deciding vote
if the decision is evenly split.

Confidentiality:

 The agenda and meeting papers may be shared to aid engagement and communication
unless papers are marked “Confidential – not for further circulation”.
 Minutes of meetings remain “Confidential- not for further circulation” until confirmed.
 Material which is “Confidential – not for further circulation” might include (but not limited
to) information which could lead to public identification of an individual or disclosure of
confidential information about them or information which may reveal details of propriety
information or intellectual property or revealing information about research prior to
publication.

Terms of office:

 The term of office for members is three years

 One member should retire or be available for re-nomination every year to ensure
continuity of business.
 A member will be expected to step down if they no longer meet the member specification
e.g. they leave the training programme.
 Recruitment of group members will be through inviting nomination from Directors of
Pharmacy, National Acute Pharmacy Services (NAPS), Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy
(PCCP) Leads, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Community Pharmacy Scotland
(CPS).

Reimbursement:

 Reasonable expenses associated with service on the group is expected to be claimed from
the group member’s organisation in line with the organisations expenses policy.

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Appendix 1 NES Pharmacy Education and Training Governance Network

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Appendix 2 Current membership of group

Name Role Representing Location Sector