One year on.......

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One year on.......

There is a saying that time flies when you are having fun, well indeed it does. One year into our president and vice president terms of office, we are reflecting on how honoured we are to be pharmacy technicians leading our profession.

Reflecting on our statements issued a year ago, we look back with pride at how working with the most committed, passionate and knowledgeable professionals, all of whom are volunteers, balancing APTUK with demanding, fulfilling employed roles, family life and higher education commitments has helped to progress the profession and begin to modernise the membership offer to pharmacy technicians.

Never has it been more important to be a member of the professional leadership body for pharmacy technicians. We continue to work on offers to make being a member something of value and we ask pharmacy technicians to consider how their professional interests would be represented without the commitment of APTUK leadership.

Increasing membership will enable us to deliver more and have an even greater presence, just consider the potential of what we could achieve if we were resourced? So please do encourage your colleagues to join.

We hope you don’t mind indulging us, but we really want to share some APTUK highlights with you:

  • We have successfully delivered a National Education Framework for Final Accuracy Checking,
  • Led in partnership with Health Education England and the Work Psychology Group with Royal Pharmaceutical Council a UK wide role analysis for foundation pharmacy technicians
  • Co-produced with Primary Care Pharmacy Association a UK wide education framework for Primary care Pharmacy Technicians which is critical to underpin the welcomed news that pharmacy technicians included in GP contract!!
  • Worked with the Institute of Healthcare Management to provide free membership for our members
  • Lobbied to ensure that pharmacy technicians’ expertise and contribution to healthcare is recognised and valued through various engagement events across the UK
  • Provided pharmacy technician expertise regarding introduction of the new qualification and apprenticeships to a range of stakeholders
  • Supported the use of technology to reduce cost of face to face meetings for the Board and Professional Committee
  • Hosted virtual branch meetings

In addition, we have also focussed on strengthening our relationships with key partners to ensure that any work we lead is embedded and sustainable for the longer term.

We will be sharing more updates and future proposals at our Membership Business Meeting (MBM) on the 4th April 2020. Details for booking will be released soon. Last year we were oversubscribed so we have increased capacity, but please book early to avoid disappointment.

On a personal level the balance has been hugely challenging in terms of time commitment but seeing the progression has been incredibly motivating. We always have the interest of the profession at the heart of all we do on your behalf.

There is much still to do, especially around increasing the numbers of future pharmacy technicians and continuing to ensure that the full potential of how much pharmacy technicians can contribute is realised.  We are also both committed to ensuring that the Association remains of value to members and are working on offers to build on this……..more details at the MBM.

Now is the time for the profession to shine and APTUK will continue to work tirelessly to represent our members.

So, as we look to the next six months, we are inspired more than ever to raise the profile of the profession and champion all the amazing opportunities being a pharmacy technician and member of APTUK can bring.

Liz Fidler, President APTUK                                                                                                  

Ellen Williams, Vice President APTUK  

 

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