Throughout 2010 the professional support team produced well received guidance that supports members in their day to day practice. In addition the professional body also intends to produce higher level standards documents in order to lead and support the profession in achieving the highest possible levels of practice. Members have told us that principles and standards from the professional body are desired to support them in their work and to encourage and enable higher levels of practice. Professional standards will fill the ‘gaps’ which exist in regulatory standards and will build on the minimum levels of practice enforced by the GPhC to enable higher levels of best and good practice across the profession. The production of professional standards documents enable us to work in a proactive way and lead the profession in navigating the changing healthcare environment.

By identifying new areas of pharmacy practice and producing standards and guidance in a proactive way, we can support members with new challenges and the changing roles we know are on the horizon. Producing standards in this way demonstrates the profession’s expertise and clearly defines pharmacists as the experts in medicines, a requirement in the challenging commissioning environment. The new look MEP due for publication this summer will serve as a compendium of best practice standards and guidance, collating many of the documents produced throughout the year.

We have also heard from our members that they would welcome a career map and have identified tools that support pharmacists in their development and advancement across all sectors. To this end, we have been working on developing partnerships with specialist and clinical groups during 2010 who have done some sterling work in this area. We are working together to create a knowledge network of the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to advance and the education, training and developmental opportunities that exist to support pharmacists to up skill, advance and provide a wider range of services and professional developments. Longer term, this feeds into our work on professional recognition. In addition, we need to play an influential and informed role at policy tables around educational and science reforms and have set up groups, panels and forums that cross sectors and areas of expertise.