The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) has said there should be a “standardised approach” to “creating” designated prescribing practitioners (DPPs) who will supervise and mentor trainee pharmacists starting their foundation year in 2025-26 on the way to becoming independent prescribers.

Trainees finishing their foundation year in the summer of 2026 will need to have completed 90 hours of direct learning in a practice environment while being supervised by a DPP or designated medical practitioner (DMP).

That requirement comes into place from 2025-26 when foundation year pharmacists will need to have not only a tutor/educational supervisor (ES)/designated supervisor (DS) but a DPP as well. However, increasing demand for DPPs coupled with a lack of funding to help them supervise trainees have led to concerns that there will not be enough DPPs to support trainees.

The GHP said different parts of the UK had different approaches to “creating” a DPP. “In some areas in the UK there are formal training courses, in others, a self-assessment form is used,” it said, calling for a “clear set of required competencies and domains for a DPP.”

The GHP called for “formal guidance on the expected time commitment to act as an ES/DS or a DPP to guide planning by training sites across the UK.”

It also said DPPs’ “job plans” should be reviewed to ensure they are able to support trainees while DPPs should be offered remuneration if they are carrying out their roles “in addition to existing duties.”

“Ongoing mentorship and support for DPPs should be established, to guide the decision making around prescribing competence prior to registration,” the GHP said.