NHS England seeking provider for pharmacy technician clinical training

NHS England is looking to tender for a £360,000 contract to deliver clinical skills training for pharmacy technicians.

On 20 July 2026, NHS England opened a tender that highlighted a need “to bridge the gap between initial education training to the level of clinical knowledge and skills required to meet service provision needs”.

Such training is needed “if we are to successfully implement the biggest reforms in pharmacy for decades”, it added.

The training is intended to help pharmacy technicians “maximise their capability in the delivery of extended clinical services in addition to NHS core services” and will support patient safety, the document said.

It added that the £360,000 contract is aimed to cover the delivery of three two-year courses in London.

Gail Hall, vice president of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), commented: “Initial education and training provides pharmacy technicians with the competencies required for registration and safe practice.

“However, as pharmacy services continue to evolve, including the expansion of clinical and patient-facing activities across sectors, there is an increasing need for structured post-registration development opportunities that enable pharmacy technicians to build on their existing foundations and practise safely and effectively within extended roles.”

“We are aware that employers and regions have developed local initiatives to support pharmacy technician workforce development, but there remains considerable variation in provision across England,” she added.

“APTUK is currently developing a post-registration career pathway for pharmacy technicians to provide greater clarity around professional development and career progression across different sectors and practice settings. Initiatives that support clinical skills development align well with the broader ambition of enabling pharmacy technicians to fully utilise their knowledge and skills in delivering safe, effective and person-centred care.”

“[The profession] is currently experiencing significant change, including evolving supervision arrangements, expanding clinical responsibilities and greater integration of pharmacy technicians into patient-facing services. We therefore welcome initiatives that seek to support the pharmacy technician workforce in meeting future service needs while maintaining a strong focus on patient safety, professional development and workforce sustainability.”

A spokesperson for Community Pharmacy London said: “[Pharmacy teams] will need to take on greater responsibilities to meet the needs of neighbourhood health, so this is welcome news, but it needs to be extended to the whole pharmacy team.”

They said that the need for pharmacy technician development is not one-size-fits-all, adding that “pharmacy technicians have qualified through different training routes and work across a wide range of settings, so their previous exposure to patient-facing clinical practice can vary”.

Any training must be linked to a clearly defined scope of practice and appropriate clinical governance and align with the integrated care board’s workforce strategy, the spokesperson continued.

“For this initiative to make a lasting difference, community pharmacies will also need protected learning time, funded backfill and sustainable staffing. Training by itself cannot compensate for workforce pressures or insufficient funding to release team members from day-to-day service delivery,” they said.

Pharmacy technicians became a regulated profession in 2011. They are currently required to have a minimum level of study at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 3 or Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level 6.

However, under new standards — which are set to be fully implemented by autumn 2029 — the minimum level of study will be raised to RQF level 4 or SCQF level 7 or above.