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Letters to the Editor
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Technicians
Society refuses to recognise qualification
From Ms D. Reece
After deciding to work in pharmacy on finishing my A levels, I joined
Boots The Chemists. This was in 1994. I qualified as a health care assistant
in 1995 and when the opportunity came up to train as a technician, I
jumped at the chance. I qualified in May 1996 and have never looked back.
Since qualifying, I have worked in community, NHS hospitals, private
hospitals and industry, as well as in locum positions for a short period.
I have only been asked once about not having a hospital qualification
(at my first job after leaving Boots) and was offered a conversion course
to obtain the NVQ. I started this, then the funding disappeared. I was
assured that I had proven myself and it would no longer be a problem.
This was back in 1998.
I have now progressed further and am happy in my role as a MTO4+++. On
attempting to register with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society a few months
ago, I was told that my qualification and experience are not valid to
register as a technician and I must re-train. This is not what I wanted
to hear.
Boots has written a conversion course, which apparently only applies
to those still working in a community environment, so this is not helpful.
I am studying management in my spare time after work, so time to retrain
or do NVQ modules in between is not feasible.
The idea of me being penalised on a qualification I attained in 1996
is ludicrous. Had I known then that I would be in this position, I would
not have undertaken that training.
I have also been advised by the Association of Pharmacy Technicians that
I should be able to go via the grandparent route, but the response I
have had so far from the Society is contrary to this.
I would be interested to hear from anybody else in a similar situation
(dawn.reece@uclh.org), since I am sure that I cannot be the only one
with this problem.
Dawn Reece
Pharmacy Distribution Services Manager,
University College Hospitals London
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