1. Issues and opportunities for a common career path
John A Cromarty
Member of the Scottish Pharmacy Board
Director of Pharmacy, NHS Highland

2. Issues & opportunities for today
Pharmacists in all branches of the profession are having to advance their practice
(e.g. all pharmacist prescribers; community pharmacists for care planning within CMS; industrial, academic and hospital pharmacists for significant advances in biotechnology)
We are all pharmacists, irrespective of the branch(es) of the profession we work in, so can we create a common framework for developing pharmacy practice?

3. Let us connect these cogs…..
Academic Pharmacists
Let us connect these cogs…..
Specialist
Pharmacists
Hospital
Pharmacists
…..get them moving
Industrial
Pharmacists
Community
Pharmacists
Health Board
Pharmacists
…..and establish a common framework and consistent assessment and credentialing for advancing pharmacy practice!
….irrespective of location or specialty!
Regulatory/Government Pharmacists
Primary Care
Pharmacists

4. Guiding principles for framework
common to all branches of the profession
accommodate both generalist and specialist advanced practice
enable flexibility/adaptability in workforce
facilitate integrated working across sectors
recognise prior learning but be competency based rather than qualification based
facilitate development of career structures
avoid duplication of effort

5. Options for common framework
RPS sets standards and runs the show
Countries, sectors and employers could be consulted on their basic and advanced practice requirements
Specialist pharmacy / multidisciplinary organisations / courses could be accredited by RPS
Levels of practice could include the equivalent of ‘qualified’, ‘advanced’ and ‘expert’ practitioner (2, 3 or 4 levels?)

6. Stages of professional development
Generic level descriptor
Qualified Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Registration level knowledge and practice skills, requires supervision
Fully competent independent practitioner
Advanced Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Advanced level of practice and acts as a mentor
Fully competent advanced practitioner, demonstrating leadership skills
Expert
Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Local expert and leading practitioner with national recognition
Nationally / internationally renowned leader in field of practice

7. Stages of professional development
Community Pharmacy
Qualified Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Meets regulatory requirements for basic duties in community pharmacy
Able to perform more complex community pharmacy contract core functions (e.g.
care planning) unsupervised
Advanced Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Operates at advanced level of community pharmacy practice, mentoring if possible
Established advanced level practitioner,
working effectively at multidisciplinary
team level &/or mentoring
Expert
Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Local expert and leading practitioner with national recognition
Nationally / internationally renowned
leader in field of practice

8. Stages of professional development
Hospital Pharmacy
Qualified Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Pharmacist on supervised specific vocational training programme
Qualified to practice independently in
hospital section(s)
Advanced Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Operates at advanced level of hospital pharmacy practice, mentoring if possible
Established advanced level practitioner, leading team or Directorate
Expert
Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Local expert and leading practitioner with national recognition
Nationally / internationally renowned
leader in field of practice

9. Stages of professional development
Academic Pharmacy
Qualified Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Postgraduate researcher/teaching fellow, qualified but supervised for research/
teaching
Researcher/Senior Teaching Fellow/
Lecturer, working independently
Advanced Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Operates at advanced level(s) of research and/or teaching as a Lecturer
Established advanced level researcher and/or Senior Lecturer/
Course Supervisor/ Leader/Director
Expert
Pharmacist/ Scientist Practitioner
Local expert and leading researcher / teacher with national recognition
Nationally / internationally renowned
leader in field of practice

10. Issues for another day ?
Motivating and incentivising pharmacists to develop their practice
Different stages of development and different opportunities in different branches of the profession
Management remains a recognised route (sometimes the only route) to career progression