The deadline is fast approaching for contractors who want to apply for funding under NHS England’s community pharmacy technician apprenticeship programme: the application window closes on 13 October.

NHSE Workforce, Training and Education, is offering community pharmacy contractors funding of up to £15,053 per pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician (PTPT) per year for the two-year training period in a bid to develop and deliver an employer-led, work-based training programme.

Payments will be made via the NHS BSA Manage Your Service portal monthly, two months in arrears for 24 months. All PTPTs must be enrolled and have started their training programme by 28 February 2025.

Employers are expected to meet wage costs, provide practical on-the-job training, time off for study (minimum of 20 per cent off-the-job training). Training must be overseen by a pharmacist to whom the trainee is accountable for no less than 14 hours a week.

Trainees must be enrolled on a programme that meets General Pharmaceutical Council initial education and training standards for pharmacy technicians and the NHS England Education quality framework.

Application for funding is through submitting an expression of interest. Contractors will be notified of the outcome on 4 November.

Guidance for contractors on the community pharmacy technician apprenticeship programme provides detailed information about eligibility criteria, timelines, and funding.

The 2023 Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey, published last month, indicated that the number of pharmacy technicians working in community pharmacies fell from 6,544 in 2022 to 5,436 in 2023.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan aims to increase the use of apprenticeships, aiming to provide 16 per cent of training through this route by 2028/29, and 22 per cent of all training for clinical staff through apprenticeship routes by 2031/32.