The impact of reforms to the Initial Education and Training standards for Pharmacists in England: Evaluating the First Cohort Trained Under the New GPhC Education Standards
Background
This evaluation examines the impact of major reforms to pharmacist education and training introduced in England in 2021 by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The reforms include an updated curriculum and additional Foundation Training Year to prepare pharmacists for expanded clinical roles, including independent prescribing, across different healthcare settings.
The first cohort qualify as registered pharmacists in summer 2026.
The curriculum changes are closely linked to the wider NHS priorities outlined in the ‘Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan for England’. These including shifting more care into community settings, improving digital healthcare, and strengthening prevention-focused services.
Aims
This evaluation aims to:
- capture the experiences and readiness of the first cohort completing training under the new standards
- explore how the new pharmacist role is viewed and experienced by the newly qualified pharmacists, their colleagues, managers, and service commissioners
- understand how the new role operates in community, general practice and hospital settings, and what factors support or hinder successful implementation
- determine the extent to which the reforms are meeting wider policy objectives on NHS workforce and service delivery.
Methods
The study will take place between May 2026 and October 2027 and use a mixed-methods approach. The team will:
- review existing literature and workforce data,
- interview policy and pharmacy leads,
- survey newly qualified pharmacists at two time points,
- and conduct case studies with community, GP, and hospital teams with newly qualified pharmacists across different regions of England.
Timeframe
May 2026 – October 2027
Funding
NIHR Policy Research Programme: NIHR206121(14)
Dissemination
A final roundtable will be held to discuss the findings and gather feedback from key national stakeholders. The project will be supported by a public contributors’ involvement and engagement group. The results will provide important evidence to inform future improvements in pharmacist education, NHS workforce planning, and patient care.
For further information contact Principal Investigator Kalpa Kharicha kalpa.kharicha@kcl.ac.uk or Antonina Semkina antonina.1.semkina@kcl.ac.uk
Principal Investigator
Senior Research Fellow