A three-year rotational training scheme for hospital pharmacists is to be launched for hospitals and National Health Service trusts in south-east London on September 12.
A key element of the scheme is that it guarantees that junior pharmacists who attain defined competencies will be promoted to grade C after 18 months.
The STEP (structured training and experience for pharmacists) programme has been developed by the National Health Service's south east London education consortium (SELEC) to try to deal with its shortage of pharmacists. A SELEC report in 1999 predicted that the staff shortfall was likely to worsen, particularly at junior and middle grades. Although the report recognised that some of the factors that contributed to the staff shortage were out of SELEC's control, it recommended a co-ordinated, collaborative approach to the recruitment and retention of staff.

St Thomas's hospital, one of the south London hospitals where the new training programme is to be introduced

Specifically, it recommended the development of a cross-sector rotational training programme for junior staff which encouraged trainees to stay by rewarding competence and loyalty.
The three-year programme comprises an 18-month foundation rotation at one of four base hospital sites, followed by three six-month electives, provided by all NHS pharmacy organisations in the SELEC area. As well as offering structured training and experience, the programme offers individual mentorship for all junior pharmacists and opportunities for postgraduate education.
At present, all the six-month electives are in hospital pharmacy, but a community pharmacy elective may be introduced.
A number of community pharmacists who wished to transfer to hospital pharmacy have been attracted by the STEP scheme as a means of achieving the move.