The Pharmacy Vocational Training Scheme Stage 2- Frequently Asked Questions
-VT2 training
Frequently Asked Questions for Trainees and Tutors
October 2014.
Review date October 2015
ContentsPage
What is the pharmacy vocational training scheme stage 2 (VT2)? / 1What is the purpose of VT2 training ? / 1
What are the benefits of the training scheme for individual pharmacists? / 1
What are the benefits of undertaking the training? / 1
How long does it take to complete the training? / 2
Who can register for the training? / 2
What does the training involve? / 2
How long is spent in each area of practice? / 2
There are locality tutors, tutors, mentors and trainers. What are the differences? / 2
What do trainees need to do once they have registered to start their training? / 4
What type of evidence will trainees need to collect and where is the evidence stored? / 4
If I have completed a hospital pre-registration year, what evidence can I transfer to the VT scheme? / 4
What assessments will there be? / 4
What paperwork do I need to complete prior to my final assessment? / 5
What happens on successful completion of the training? / 5
What happens if I am not successful at assessment / 5
I undertook my PRPS training in community pharmacy. Is there any baseline training that I need to undertake prior to starting VT2 training? / 6
Is there a timetable of what needs to be covered? What evidence needs to be logged and when? / 6
What happens if I move Health Board area during training? / 6
Are there group training days? / 6
Hints and tips on Completion of a Trainee Portfolio / 7
20 October 2018
Q1.What is the pharmacy vocational training scheme stage 2 (VT2)?Vocational training is training that is developed to help with the development of skills for a particular role/function. Within Pharmacy, the aim of Stage 2 of The Pharmacy Vocational Training Scheme is to enable the development of foundation skills within a specific area of pharmacy practice.
Currently there is Vocational Training at a Foundation level (VT2) and also at a Specialist level (VT3).
VT2 training has been developed to equip junior pharmaciststo acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for them to participate fully in their post as a ‘general’ pharmacist. The emphasis is on developing competence (the ability to perform consistently to the required standard) using activities in the workplace, a structured training rotation and the reflections on the training experience by the trainee.
Trainees complete a series of tasks that assess performance in the workplace and record evidence from undertaking the task in a variety of different formats e.g. GPhC CPD records, Feedback forms, Witness testimonials, Evidence logs, Action logs and Reflection Logs. All evidence is stored in the NHS ePortfolio which is a safe and secure area in which to store information. No patient information/details should be stored within the NHS ePortfolio.
Q2.What is the purpose of VT2 training ?
The purpose of this level of training is to provide a structured, work-based training experience for junior pharmacists, enabling them to deliver safe and effective pharmaceutical care within their area of practice.
Q3.What are the benefits of the training scheme for individual pharmacists?
The training ensures that pharmacists achieve a well-rounded, ‘general’ structured training. Some trainees have indicated that due to the rotational nature of the training they have been able to gain experience in some areas that they may not have been able to visit had they not been part of the training scheme.
Undertaking training and development of CPD records as evidence also helpsto meet the GPhC Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. It is compatible with the CPD process with reflective practice being encouraged. Since 2009, trainees have been completing CPD records as evidence instead of lengthy reports.
The training also provides:
- an opportunity to achieve competence in a variety of areas of pharmacy practice
- an opportunity to reflect and decide on future areas in which to specialise
- trainees’ with increased confidence and enhanced organisational skills.
e.g. the first year of the Queens’ Diploma and Masters Programme in Clinical Pharmacy; for Strathclyde University, the case studies will be assessed upon completion of Stage 2 and successful trainees will gain exemption from the first 2 weeks of the MSc in Clinical Pharmacy.
Q4.What are the benefits of undertaking the training?
The training provides a framework which can be used to structure and target work-based training and experience for junior hospital pharmacists efficiently and effectively.It has also been shown to increase confidence, make trainees aware of their limitations and to allow future specialist areas for training to be explored.
Q5.How long does it take to complete the training?
VT2 training is intended to take two academic years (approximately 20 months) to complete. This will depend on the individual and the needs of the service. Some trainees will take longer than this.
There may also be some trainees coming from other areas of pharmacy, such as community pharmacy, who already have experience and evidence of competence in some aspects who may complete the programme in a much shorter time. This will be dealt with on an individual basis.
Q6.Who can register for the training?
The training scheme is open to all junior pharmacists who are working as a hospital pharmacist within NHS Scotland. The pharmacist must have the support of their designated line manager prior to application. In addition, trainees must have a tutor who is registered as a tutor with the scheme, i.e. those who have registered as a tutor with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) from 2005 onwards.
To register as a trainee for the scheme, please complete and submit an application form that is available here.
Q7.What does the training involve?
The training is focussed on the professional role of the pharmacist with technical aspects having been completed in previous Stage 1/ PRPS training. The training provides trainees with the opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and experience in the following key rotational areas of:
- Dispensary
- Aseptic services
- Clinical pharmacy
- Medicines information
Competence is also required to be demonstrate in some ‘wider’ areas e.g. medical gases, procurement and formulary management. This helps the trainees to gain an insight into the ‘broader’ practice of pharmacy to complement their practice as they progress.
Q8.How long is spent in each area of practice?
The workplace rotations are intended to be flexible to accommodate individual learning needs and service requirements. For example, experienced trainees moving into hospital practice from another area of pharmacy, such as community pharmacy, may be able to demonstrate their competence in some rotations in a shorter time than a newly qualified pharmacist. In such instances, the previous experience should be recorded with any learning needs identified and targeted as part of their rotation.
Q9.There are locality tutors, tutors, mentors and trainers. What are the differences?
Locality tutors are experienced senior pharmacists who are responsible for the trainees within a defined area within Scotland. They may host an event where trainees meet to discuss their evidence or they may visit trainees and their tutor at some stage throughout their training. Should a trainee be unsure of what to do, they can contact their locality tutors in which details are available here.
Tutors are experienced pharmacists who facilitate the trainee’s training and assess their development overall within the organisation. They do not observe the trainee’s practice on a daily basis; they are aided by local trainers with this. The trainees should meet with their tutor on a regular basis (once a month) and record the meetings within their ePortfolio.
The role of the tutor is to;
- meet with the trainee on a monthly basis
- help the trainee to identify their development needs and develop learning objectives as required
- adapt the training rotation as required to ensure that the trainee receives a structured training within the 2 year period
- provide guidance, support or advice
- ‘sign’ off evidence as appropriate (specialists will sign off evidence where specific expertise is required)
- provide written feedback for evidence from their trainee
- complete ‘Completion of section’ forms for each section of training
- organise specific placements for the VT2 rotation
Tutors are required to be qualified for a minimum of 2 years (post Pre registration training) and demonstrate:
- completion of VT2 training (where possible)
- an ongoing commitment to their CPD
- specific skills (e.g. giving feedback, listening skills)
- involvement in the provision of education to other healthcare professionals.
Trainersare experienced pharmacists or technicians who work within specific area of practice and who are therefore responsible for the training of the VT2 trainee when they are within their specific area of practice. The trainers will help identify the trainee’s training needs for a specific section of their training rotation and will plan, conduct and evaluate their training experience. They are also responsible for signing off their rotational practice activities whilst the trainee is within their section. However, trainers are not currently registered with NHS Education for Scotland, nor do they routinely attend training sessions. However, any trainers are welcome to attend any of the training days. Details of which can be located at NES Pharmacy website.
Mentors are pharmacists who have recently completed the training scheme. They informally advise new trainees and share their experiences on completing the training.
Q10.What do trainees need to do once they haveregisteredto start their training?
Once registered, within 2 weeks, both the trainee and tutor will each receive a username and password to access the ePortfolio. If they have previously accessed the e Portfolio they will retain their original username and password but they will both be registered onto the specific training scheme. They will still be able to view the previous training that they have undertaken. To get started with the ePortfolio, the trainees should review the various forms that are available and make use of the resources section for guidance. For more information on how to develop an ePortfolio, please refer to the Hints and Tips on Completion of a Trainee Portfolio. In addition, the trainee should meet with the tutor to develop a structured rotation in order to meet the competencies specified in the competency framework.
Q11.What type of evidence will trainees need to collect and where is the evidence stored?
Trainees are expected to collect evidence as they progress. It may be in the form of a care plan, a case study, a prescription, a training plan or a CPD record etc. For more information on each type of evidence, please refer to the Hints and Tips on Completion of a Trainee Portfolio.
Trainees should verify their evidence by obtaining feedback from pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals. Please note that they should not be completed by a peer who is undertaking the same training scheme.
Evidence should also be cross-referenced where possible with the reason for the cross-reference into this new section of the competency framework, being clearly stated in the introductory information for the piece of evidence.
The VT scheme is a progression over a two-year period. As such, there is an expectation that there will be regular progress.
The basis of the training is about learning from experience and reflecting on your practice. It is important to have reflections as part of each piece of evidence. [What did you learn? What would you do differently next time and why?]
For all trainees who started training after January 2013 all evidence should be stored within an NHS ePortfolio.
Portfolios that are paper based are only accepted if the training started before January 2013.
There are some FAQs to help you with the VT ePortfolio. Access the FAQs for VTePortfolio here
Q12.If I have completed a hospital pre-registration year, what evidence can I transfer to the VT scheme?
Trainees who have completed their pre-registration training in the hospital sector will have completed some evidence that you may wish to reflect on and develop further for the vocational training. This will be at the discretion of your VT and locality tutor. In general, VT2 training is at a more advanced level than PRPS training and hence evidence used within PRPS training is not generally accepted as part of VT2 training.
Q13.What assessments will there be?
There are two types of assessment associated with the VT programme:
- Formative assessment (to aid the trainee’s development, generally this type of assessment is occurring when the trainee meets with their tutor).
- Summative assessment (to check that the trainee has met the required standard, this is the portfolio assessment and the face-to-face panel assessment).
At the end of each rotation, the tutor or trainer/specialist will use the rotational competencies and behavioural statements to carry out an assessment, which will check that the trainee has met the required standard. Evidence should be reviewed, competencies should be signed off and any gaps for further training should be identified.
Deadlines for submission of portfolio for review are generally undertaken every SIX months (currently 31st January and 31st July) while final assessments are generally held every SIX months (currently in May and November). Portfolio needs to be submitted to NES in April and October in order to qualify for the May and November assessment respectively. Once the trainee has successfully completed the portfolio, they will be invited for their final assessment. The final assessment lasts approximately ONE hour and is generally held at NES, Glasgow.
For this final assessment, the trainee should prepare a short presentation on a topic from their portfolio with the learning points and reasons for the choice of topic explained as part of the presentation. The topic may be stipulated in the feedback from the portfolio assessment.Ten minutes is allocated to the presentation, plus 5 minutes for questions. Trainees who run over their allocated time may be penalised and will be asked to summarise the final slides.
The trainees’ approach to the development of the presentation, their communication skills and their approach to answering questions by the panel is assessed at this stage. The trainee then has to detail their approach to FOUR workplace scenarios. The approach of the trainee is assessed based on their response to questions from the panel. The outcome from the assessments is communicated to the trainees verbally when they are given feedback and then confirmed via an e-mail. The trainees will also receive a certificate of completion.
Q14.Whatpaperwork do I need to complete prior to my final assessment?
You need to complete the following :
- a Completion of Section form (for each section of the framework (This is linked to the first competency within the framework for each section)
- a Declaration of Own Work form
- a 15 month appraisal
Q15.What happens on successful completion of the training?
On successful completion of both parts of the external assessment process (portfolio and panel interview), the pharmacist will be issued with a Certificate of Completion. This certificate will enable them to gain exemption from the first year of certain university Diploma/Masters programmes e.g. the Queen’s University Diploma/Masters programme in Clinical Pharmacy.
Q16.What happens if I am not successful at assessment?
The assessment process for the scheme is generally split into two parts. In some cases when portfolios are reviewed, trainees are requested to submit a small amount of further information/clarify information. The trainee is expected to bring this to the final assessment and may be asked to discuss aspects of their work to ensure that the competency has been met. At portfolio assessment, if the information that is required for clarification is deemed to be too much to prepare prior to the final assessment, the trainee will be asked to defer and resubmit at the following set of assessment.
Should a trainee be unsuccessful at the panel assessment, then the trainee will be given feedback, support from the Locality Tutor and the opportunity to represent at the next set of assessments.
Q17. I undertook my PRPS training in community pharmacy. Is there any baseline training that I need to undertake prior to starting VT2 training?
Trainees who have undertaken their PRPS training within community pharmacy will not have had experience of aseptic dispensing or Medicines Information training. Trainees should undertake some shadowing of technical staff within aseptic services and should complete some simulation exercises to demonstrate an understanding of the aseptic processes where possible. There are also aseptic modules that should be completed prior to undertaking the aseptic dispensing competencies. The trainee should develop an Evidence log’ after discussion with their tutor that demonstrates their understanding. For MI training, the tutor should organise a copy of the MiCal workbook and the trainee should spend an agreed time within a Medicines Information Centre to ensure that they have a basic understanding of the work within this area. Such training is dependent on local services. For clinical pharmacy training the trainee should enrol for a local clinical pharmacy course where possible.
Q18. Is there a timetable of what needs to be covered? What evidence needs to be logged and when?
There is guidance about the timelines for activities. It is important to start thinking about your audit and Significant Event Analysis in the first year of training with a view to submit these pieces of evidence early in the second year of training. Care plans and case studies should be started early in training and completion should show a progression throughout your training. Other pieces of evidence that are not required to be completed whilst working in an area of practice e.g. medical gases presentation, reading aseptic resources can be completed at anytime throughout training. Trainees should plan at the start of working in an area of practice what competencies they wish to achieve and should share this with their trainer for the particular area. Access the guidance here
Q19.What happens if I move Health Board area during training?
If you move training base then you can still continue with your training. VT training is recognised by all Health Boards throughout Scotland. There are recognised tutors in all areas in Scotland.
Prior to a trainee leaving their current training base they need to ensure that all evidence to date is ‘signed off’ by their tutor anda Feedback form for each section started has been completed by the current tutor. Where possible a whole section should be completed and ‘signed off’ prior to moving to a new Health Board but we do understand that this will not always be the case. It is good practice to complete and submit an appraisal prior to moving.You also need to inform NES Pharmacy that you are moving so that training records can be updated and a new link created with the new tutor within ePortfolio.
Q20. Are there group training days?
NES Pharmacy host some training days as and when required. There were regular sessions but trainees were unable to be released to attend and so these are now advertised and hosted when it is felt that they are required. There is a flyer of events. There are telephone surgeries held on a monthly basis where trainees can ask any issues to the Lead for VT and a Locality tutor/PEC. The surgeries are designed to be flexible and are held on the phone for approximately 30mins. There is a freephone telephone number that is advertised prior to the surgery.
Locally within the Boards there are usually peer review sessions, the frequency of which are dependent on the number of trainees and their location.
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