How we developed the BOPA digital SACT verification passport

If you’ve ever started a new role in cancer care pharmacy, you’ll probably remember wondering: ‘What am I expected to know?’

Perhaps more importantly: ‘How do I demonstrate that I’m competent?’

For many years, the answer depended largely on where you worked. While systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) verification is a critical safety step in cancer treatment, there has never been a consistent, transferable way to demonstrate competence across organisations and UK nations^​1​.

That changed in 2023 when the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) launched the Digital SACT Verification Passport^​2​.

What began as an ambitious idea has rapidly become a widely adopted resource, helping to standardise training, support workforce development and give greater confidence in the competency of pharmacy professionals involved in SACT verification.

Why was it needed?

Cancer care is becoming increasingly complex. New therapies, personalised treatment approaches and expanding indications mean pharmacy professionals are expected to manage ever-growing amounts of clinical information while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety^​1,3​.

At the same time, pharmacy teams face workforce pressures, changing roles and increasing staff mobility. Historically, training and competency assessment have varied between organisations, often resulting in duplicated effort and inconsistent expectations^​1​.

As a profession, we recognised the need for a shared approach. We needed a way to define what good looks like, support staff development and enable competency records to move with individuals as they progress through their careers.

The BOPA Passport builds on pre-existing BOPA education and training and verification standards^​3,4​, as well as earlier pharmacy verification passport initiatives^​5,6​. It draws inspiration from the success of the UK Oncology Nursing Society Digital SACT Competency Passport, which demonstrated the value of nationally recognised digital credentialing within the cancer workforce^​7​.

What is the BOPA Passport?

The BOPA Passport is a digital training accreditation record for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians involved in SACT verification.

Accessible through the BOPA website and Compassly app, it provides a structured pathway for learning, assessment and professional development. Importantly, it is designed to complement local training rather than replace it.

Since its launch, adoption has exceeded expectations. The passport now has approximately 2,400 registered users across more than 150 organisations throughout the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Gibraltar.

Its success reflects not only a clear workforce need, but also the collaborative effort behind its development. Experts from across the cancer care pharmacy community, including solid tumour, haematology, bone marrow transplant and paediatric services, came together to create content that reflects real-world practice.

How does it work?

The passport combines structured learning with evidence gathered through routine clinical practice.

Users work through core learning materials before demonstrating competence using activities such as clinical screening logs, case-based discussions and mock prescriptions. Supervisors review this evidence and provide sign-off when competence has been achieved.

One of its greatest strengths is that it makes every day clinical work count towards learning. Rather than creating additional training burdens, the passport helps transform existing practice into meaningful evidence of competency.

Annual revalidation activities also help ensure practitioners maintain competence as treatments, standards and practice evolve^​7​. We hope that as familiarity with the BOPA Passport increases and it becomes embedded into practice, yearly revalidation is seen as a valuable undertaking and that we continue to meet the needs of all users.

What difference has it made?

One of the most significant benefits is portability. Competency records can travel with individuals between organisations, reducing unnecessary duplication of assessment and helping experienced staff integrate more quickly into new teams^​6​.

Feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive. Many report increased confidence in their clinical practice and appreciate having clear expectations for development. Organisations value the consistent approach to competency assessment and the reassurance that individuals have been assessed against recognised national standards.

Ultimately, the biggest beneficiary is the patient. Standardised, robust assessment processes help ensure a workforce verifying high-risk cancer treatments is appropriately trained and supported^​1​.

Challenges along the way

Developing a national resource has not been without challenges.

Finding time for learning and assessment in busy clinical environments remains difficult, while differences in local practice mean that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution is rarely appropriate.

What has helped is recognising that the passport is not about creating additional work. Instead, it provides a structure that captures learning already taking place in day-to-day practice while encouraging meaningful discussions around clinical decision-making and professional development.

The passport continues to evolve through user feedback and the dedication of volunteer contributors from across the cancer care pharmacy community.

Maintaining and developing a digital platform also requires ongoing investment and support. BOPA and Compassly work closely together to ensure we can deliver this invaluable resource to our pharmacy cancer care workforce. We continually evaluate our processes and are exploring avenues for funding and support to try to alleviate the financial challenges that the BOPA charity organisation faces in delivering this resource.

Looking ahead

Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the passport is how its influence is growing beyond its original purpose.

It is supporting the development of pharmacy technicians undertaking expanded clinical roles and has attracted interest from specialist groups developing their own competency frameworks. The UK Blood and Marrow Transplantation Committee is currently working with the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) to develop an internationally relevant stem cell transplant training passport, which is based on the same principles.

International interest is also growing, with healthcare teams in Australia exploring how the model could support their own workforce development needs.

What started as a solution for SACT verification is increasingly being recognised as a blueprint for profession-led digital credentialing, which is a model that could help other specialties address similar challenges around training, competency and workforce mobility.

A collective achievement

The BOPA Passport is more than a digital tool — it is a reflection of what can be achieved when a profession comes together to define its standards, share expertise and invest in the future workforce.

Its rapid adoption demonstrates the value of a tool that is practical, portable and rooted in real clinical practice. Most importantly, it helps ensure that cancer care pharmacy professionals have the knowledge, skills and support needed to deliver safe, high-quality care for patients.

Click here to see the BOPA Digital SACT Verification Passport Content schematic.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the BOPA education and training committee, the passport subcommittee and those involved in the conception of the BOPA Digital SACT Verification Passport.

With particular thanks to Netty Cracknell, principal pharmacist in cancer services at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, and Jonathan Knight, chief executive and co-founder of Tefogo Ltd, who were integral to the creation and implementation of the BOPA passport.