| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-18 | 2023-06-30 |
| 2024-01-23 | - |
| 2024-04-24 | - |
Program Overview
Overview
This programme has been designed to provide education and training for early career pharmacists in any patient-facing sector, to develop their knowledge and skills whilst working in practice.
The NHS is currently experiencing an unprecedented demand for services, with increasing recognition of the need to provide personalised and seamless care. Pharmacists in every sector are in a position to play a key role in addressing these challenges. This programme is therefore mapped to both the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Foundation Pharmacy Framework (FPF) and the NHS Long Term Plan, enabling collaboration with all health professionals to ensure that the best quality of care can be delivered to the local population.
This programme is suitable for pharmacists registered and practising in the UK, who are working at Foundation Level (newly qualified or in their first 1-2 years of practice).
By the end of the programme, students will have:
This is a part-time blended learning programme. The programme is delivered as a mixture of study days at the University of Bradford, webinars and self-directed learning.
We utilise a “team-based” learning approach for the study days, which includes pre-reading materials, a “readiness-assurance process” that assesses students’ readiness for the upcoming class, and facilitated case-based scenarios, led by experts. This approach encourages active learning strategies for students to promote deeper learning. In addition to utilising expert practitioners to co-deliver the teaching and learning, we embed patient and public involvement throughout the programme to promote a patient-centred holistic approach to pharmacy practice.
For advice on whether the Foundation is appropriate for you, or if you do not have the support of your employer, please contact the programme leader
Sandra Martin
.
Program Outline
What you will study
All module information is for 2022 entry, and is subject to change.
First year
Foundations in Pharmacy Practice
Advanced Communication Skills
Second year
Core
Advanced Therapeutics
Option
Prescribing for Pharmacists
Health and Social Care Leadership
Managing People in Health and Social Care
Understanding Health and Social Care through Policy and Strategy
Leading Change and Service Improvement in Health and Social Care
Aseptics in Practice
Final year
Core
Option
Learning and assessment
The programme uses an evidence-based blended approach to learning and students are treated as adult learners. The learning and teaching strategy includes regular (monthly) taught study days (attendance is compulsory). These will include assessed pre-study day tasks, keynote lectures, case-based problems, role play and collaborative learning. To support this learning there will also be webinars and online learning packages. The programme aims to make use of students’ own experiences, allow choice in learning and assessment, provide continual formative feedback and encourage students to move to increasingly advanced stages of personal development.
Much of the learning time will be dedicated to directed study, most of which will be work-based learning where students have the opportunity to practice and develop the knowledge, skills and values necessary to become a proficient foundation pharmacist. Work-based learning includes formative and summative assessment, reflection on learning experiences and tutorials. Students will receive regular feedback on work-based tasks, using validated assessment tools such as mini-clinical evaluation exercises (mini-CEX), case-based discussions (CBD) and direct observation of patient consultations (DOPC). They will meet regularly with their personal academic tutor and/or practice tutor to map their progress against the relevant competency framework, identify their learning needs and set objectives for the following month.
In years 2 and 3 of the programme there is also optionality for students, allowing them to choose modules which reflect their learning needs and learning style. There will be many opportunities within these options for students to participate in interprofessional learning with other healthcare professionals.
There are a variety of formative and summative assessments across the course, including eportfolio, presentations, written assignments and OSCES. We also use an innovative teaching style called team-based learning (TBL) which helps to develop teamworking skills via active learning.
Official programme specification
Career support
The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the
Careers
website.Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes, there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.
Career prospects
Past students have gone on to gain promotion with their current or a different employer and/or sector of pharmacy.
