National Forum for Pharmacy Education and Accreditation

In 2011, the PSI set about reviewing the structure and format of the education and training programmes for qualification. The final Report of the Pharmacy Education and Accreditation Reviews (PEARs) Project made a series of recommendations around the move to a five-year fully integrated programme of education, training and assessment.  The recommendations included a move from the current structure of education to a Masters degree as the basis for application for registration as a pharmacist. The development of new educational standards and the development of a new accreditation methodology were also recommended. These included an appropriate approach to governance of the system, with a recommendation stating:

To ensure success, the development and delivery of the new integrated programme of pharmacy education, training and assessment should be assisted by a National Forum that meets regularly. This forum should be led by the pharmacy regulator (the PSI) and comprise all relevant stakeholders including representatives from each school of pharmacy and from all sectors of the profession where work-based training will take place.

Interim Report of the National Forum for Pharmacy Education and Accreditation

The National Forum provided advice to the PSI on the implementation of the five-year fully integrated pharmacy degree programme. An interim report was accepted and noted by the PSI Council in 2013.  

A review of the operation of the National Forum for Pharmacy Education and Accreditation 

The National Forum having delivered on the objectives set out in its Terms of Reference, concluded its activities in March 2014. A review of the operation of the National Forum was carried out by the Chair, Marian Shanley, and the report on this review was noted and accepted by the PSI Council in 2014.  

Arising from this review, an implementation steering group was appointed to oversee the commencement of the new five-year programme.