Assessment in the FTY
The following page provides information regarding the assessment of trainee pharmacists including:
- The NES FTY assessment strategy
- Information about the GPhC initial education and training learning outcomes
- Use of supervised learning events
- Period of learning in practice (PLP)
Assessment overview
During FTY, trainee pharmacists are required to develop and consistently demonstrate competence across GPhC learning outcomes to achieve final sign off, as well as passing the GPhC common registration assessment. Competence across learning outcomes can be evidenced by using a range of SLE tools, feedback and reflection as illustrated in Figure 1. This must be recorded on Turas e-portfolio.
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Figure 1 Triangulation of evidence for Foundation Training Year e-Portfolio
The NES FTY assessment strategy details the FTY learning outcomes and some suggested examples of how these can be assessed.
For individuals on the full learning outcomes to prescriber pathway, successfully completing 52-weeks of training, demonstrating competence for all learning outcomes, and passing the GPhC common registration assessment demonstrates competence as a pharmacist independent prescriber. These individuals will apply to join the GPhC register as pharmacists with IP annotation. There is no option for FTY trainee pharmacists on this pathway to join the register without IP annotation. These trainee pharmacists will gather evidence of prescribing related learning outcomes through their period of learning in practice to support assessment.
Developing a portfolio of evidence on Turas training portfolio is mandatory for all trainee pharmacists. All FTY supervisors must ensure that they are reviewing evidence on Turas Training Portfolio and considering it in their assessment of the trainee pharmacist.
Each trainee pharmacist will be provided access to the portfolio relevant to their pathway at the beginning of the training year (i.e full learning outcomes to prescriber or interim learning outcomes to non-prescriber).
Using Supervised Learning Events in Foundation Training Year
There is no minimum number of supervised learning events (SLEs) to be completed to achieve sign off of each learning outcomes. Supervisors must consider if the SLEs within the portfolio demonstrate the trainee consistently meets each learning outcome.
However, trainees must use a mix of supervised learning events:
| SLE Type | Used to evidence | Mandatory/optional |
| Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) | Physical assessment skills | Mandatory |
| Mini-Clinical Examination (mini-CEX) | Consultation and shared decision-making skills | Mandatory |
| Case based Discussions (CbD) | Appropriate prescribing choices, clinical and non-clinical management | Mandatory |
| Case presentation | History taking/data gathering, clinical reasoning and appropriate safety netting/ monitoring/follow up | Mandatory |
| Acute care assessment tool (ACAT) | Workload prioritisation and decision making under pressure | Optional |
All trainee pharmacists are encouraged to seek a wide range of SLE collaborators from both the wider pharmacy team (including accuracy checking technicians and dispensing technicians) and other healthcare professionals within the multi-disciplinary team.
At least one collaborator should undertake SLEs at multiple timepoints throughout FTY to ensure appropriate progression and to ensure learning points identified earlier in the FTY have been actioned.
Trainee pharmacists will be asked to complete SLEs for various points in the training year. This will include:
| Time Period | Purpose |
| Wk 21-30 during a VDG: Case presentation justifying prescribing choices and recommendations. | To assess history taking, assessment, diagnostics skills and clinical decision making. |
| Wk 35-36 Core procedure observation and sign off in line with physical assessment skills agreed by FTY group | To demonstrate competence undertaking basic physical assessments |
For further information on SLE types and supervision in the workplace please visit our Educational Supervision in pharmacy and Supervised Learning Events (SLEs) pages.
Supervisors will be encouraged to use tools to support consistent and fair approach to assessment of SLEs. The FTY supervisor induction will give supervisors opportunity to practice using these.
Period of Learning in Practice (PLP) and the PLP log book
We have developed a document called the PLP within NES FTY programme, which offers some guidance for planning your PLP.
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Period of Learning in Practice (PLP)
Only trainee pharmacists on the FTY full learning outcomes to prescriber pathway will be required to complete the PLP. This involves 90 hours minimum of activities involving direct patient care, relating to prescribing. The 90 hours does not need to be completed in any specific ‘block’ of time but should be included in the training plan for every trainee pharmacist on this pathway. The DS and DPP (where working jointly) should agree, as part of the training plan for FTY, the best model for the trainee pharmacist. A number of templates for Prescribing Supervision plans are available:
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Designated Prescribing Practitioner Supervision during PLP Part Year
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Designated Prescribing Practitioner Supervision during PLP full year
The DPP is NOT required to directly supervise the trainee pharmacist for the entire PLP, but they must ensure that appropriate clinical supervision is in place at all times to ensure patient safety. They may delegate some of the PLP supervision to other appropriately qualified members of the healthcare team, but they must conduct sufficient direct supervision and assessment of the trainee pharmacist to enable them to make an informed assessment decision relating to the trainee pharmacist. The trainee pharmacist must have undertaken sufficient supervised learning events to demonstrate appropriate progress towards prescribing-related learning outcomes by the week 39 appraisal point. Trainee pharmacists are encouraged to spend time with a range of collaborators to enrich their learning experience.
Trainee pharmacists will maintain an editable logbook on Turas portfolio of their time spent during their 90 hours period of learning in practice. The log will consist of a PLP activity log form to summarise the detail of the time period. Each form must include evidence of the activity undertaken in the time period using either an SLE or a individual feedback form.
The period of learning in practice activity log will include:
- Trainee name
- Trainee registration number
- Learning date
- Learning title
- Learning setting
- Time spent
- Reflect and detail how this PLP activity developed your skills to become a safe prescriber.
- Evidence (link to drop down choice of SLE forms or individual feedback forms)
The log will be reviewed by the DPP as part of the co-sign off of the prescribing-related learning outcomes.
