Pharmacist trainees will get access to ‘communities of practice’ to support their clinical development, NHS England (NHSE) has said.

And it has also offered to match designated prescribing practitioners (DPPs) with training placements that need access to DPP supervision.

This comes as NHSE has urged active pharmacy independent prescribers to consider training as designated prescribing practitioners (DPP) under its funded and flexible training offer with ProPharmace.

‘On completion of this course (or if you are a DPP already and would like to supervise a trainee) NHS England will be able to pair you with foundation training programmes that require DPP supervision,’ the NHSE said in a newsletter today.

In addition to clinical ‘communities of practice’, pre-registration trainees will also be able to access ‘a series of facilitated local learning sets’ for groups of trainees throughout their foundation training.

‘The content of the training offer will include supporting the development of prescribing skills and capabilities, to further develop the knowledge and skills gained during the MPharm,’ NHSE said.

Trainees will also be able to access NHSE e-learning resources, but not specific face to face teaching on clinical therapeutic areas.

NHSE will also not provide sector specific training relating to service provision, saying ‘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 work safely and effectively’.

Last month, NHSE was urged to provide a full list of organisations with available DPPs to placement providers who are lacking them.