Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Programme 2025/26 Course Provision & Supervisor requirements

NHS England have asked us to share the following information with pharmacy owners who provide foundation training sites.

All Foundation Trainee Pharmacists (FTP) commencing training in 2025 will have access to a core training offer provided by NHS England. After extensive stakeholder engagement across all sectors of practice via a series of workshops, they have determined that the NHS England offer should focus on supporting delivery of the learning outcomes in practice.

The full specification is still subject to further development, but NHS England has announced that this provision will cover the following:

• Induction Day to orientate trainees to the programme
• Establishment of communities of practice for trainees, to provide additional support to develop their prescribing practice (currently under exploration)
• Online learning materials to support delivery of the Learning Outcomes
• First Aid training

As this national offer applies to trainees across all sectors of practice, it should be noted that it does not include training related to site-specific service provision.

Therefore, it is expected that any training provision related to the specific needs of individual organisations or employers will continue to be provided by them, to ensure that trainee pharmacists offer safe and effective patient care.

Further updates and details of the 2025/26 offer, which will be called the NHS England FTP Training Provision, will be provided in due course.

Designated Supervisor Requirements for the 2025/26 Foundation Training Programme

In the 2025/26 Foundation Training Year, NHS England will be taking on the responsibility for the quality management of the Foundation Training Year for all foundation trainee pharmacists in England. This will include assuring the quality of supervision.

Working with the General Pharmaceutical Council, NHS England has developed principles for the role of Designated Supervisor that will be used from the 2025/26 training year. These principles as designed to support quality of education and ensure patient safety. Find out more about this in the following document:

Designated Supervisor Requirements for 2025/26 Foundation Training Programme

To find out more about the initial education and training of pharmacists reforms and how the foundation training year is changing, please visit NHS England’s Implementing the Foundation Pharmacist Training Year webpage.