The Foundation Pharmacist Project: exploring new models of dual-sector postgraduate pharmacy training Adam P. Rathbone a , Tahmina Rokib b , Wasim Baqir b and David Campbell b a School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, and b Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, North Shields, UK Keywords foundation pharmacists; pharmacy practice; primary care; secondary care; Vanguard Correspondence Dr Adam P. Rathbone, School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, King George VI Building, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 7RU, UK. E-mail: Adam.rathbone@newcastle.ac.uk Received September 18, 2017 Accepted June 11, 2018 doi: 10.1111/ijpp.12467 Abstract Objectives To explore the experiences of primary care-based professional stake- holders in a dual-sector training programme for foundation pharmacists. Methods Professional stakeholders were defined as foundation pharmacists or members of staff working with foundation pharmacists such as general medical or nurse practitioners and administrative staff. Stakeholders were invited to participate via email and through gatekeepers. Participants were asked how they were involved in the training pathway, what their experiences had been and what they hoped for the future. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed using computer software. Key findings Twenty-eight face-to-face semi-structured interviews were con- ducted. Five major themes were identified (1) benefits of integration (2) appro- priateness of the work (3) perceived impact (4) identity development and (5) training and peer support. These findings outline participants’ experiences of establishing a scope of practice in primary and secondary care settings and developing mechanisms to negotiate non-prescriber status to save general prac- titioners, practice nurse, community pharmacy and administrator time. Foun- dation pharmacists were able to develop a professional identity whilst working in each care setting, highlighting the dominance of hospital pharmacy exposure in clinical knowledge acquisition and establishing a community of practice across organisational and geographical boundaries using WhatsApp as a peer support tool. Conclusions Foundation pharmacists are able to work within their own com- petencies in two different care settings, developing scopes of practice and con- tributing clinically to service provision. This work provides evidence that this type of training pathway can offer an appropriate landscape for pharmacy prac- titioner development. Further work is needed to explore the longitudinal out- comes of the programme. Introduction The National Health Service (NHS) is currently experi- encing unprecedented demand for services that jeopardise the sustainability of current models of care within the United Kingdom. [1] In addition, over the past 12 months, directors from commissioning and delivery organisations within the NHS believe the quality of care in their area has deteriorated. [1] Measures to meet the demand have included exploring new modes of service delivery, includ- ing increasing the availability of step-down facilities, offering increased remuneration rates for agency staff and outsourcing elective care, as well as integrating ser- vices. [1,2] With multiple contributory factors to the increases in demand, the service estimated deficits in the region of £873 million for 2016/17. [1] Strategies to trans- form the sustainability of the NHS also include initiatives such as NHS England’s Vanguard scheme, [3] Sustainability and Transformation Plans [4] and the Five Year Forward View. [5] Many of these programmes represent an oppor- tunity to explore novel approaches to healthcare services by examining current clinical support mechanisms, © 2018 Royal Pharmaceutical Society International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2019, 27, pp. 191--200 International Journal of Pharmacy Practice Research Paper International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2019, 27, pp. 191–200 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ijpp/article/27/2/191/6099707 by guest on 20 February 2023