A recent article in Chemist + Druggist reports that there is a growing demand for training courses for overseas pharmacists seeking to work in the UK. The pandemic, Brexit, and a shortage of pharmacists in the country have led to a backlog of applications for these courses, and as a result, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) reports that all courses starting in 2023 and 2024 are already oversubscribed, leaving foreign pharmacists waiting until 2025 to secure a place.
To address this issue, Kingston University is considering bringing back its training course for overseas pharmacists, according to the same Chemist + Druggist article. The course was previously available to help foreign pharmacists meet GPhC standards and work in the UK but was discontinued in 2018. The university’s dean of pharmacy and biomedical sciences has stated that they are exploring the possibility of restarting the course in response to the current demand.
While the proposal to bring back the course has been welcomed by many in the pharmacy industry, there are concerns that it could lead to oversupply and affect the job prospects of newly qualified pharmacists, as reported by Chemist + Druggist. The GPhC has not yet commented on the proposal, and it remains unclear whether other universities will follow suit.
The need for more training places for foreign pharmacists seeking to work in the UK is clear, and addressing this issue will be crucial in ensuring that the country has enough qualified pharmacists to meet the needs of its healthcare sector.
