We define 'recently or newly qualified' as being the first three years of practice as a registered pharmacist. This is a crucial phase in your development that may impact on the direction of your career.

As your professional body, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is dedicated to supporting you during this important period of your development and beyond. 

To ensure you get the best start in your career, this section focuses on the support RPS offers to help you:

• Build your confidence
• Build your knowledge
• Build your career 

The transition from trainee to qualified pharmacy professional can be a daunting experience which comes with new challenges and responsibilities. The RPS provides you with a support network where you can seek guidance and reassurance about your decisions. 

•   RPS Support

RPS Support is a team of experienced pharmacists and advisors that is available to provide you with confidential advice and support on day-to-day pharmacy issues. Whether you are seeking advice on a new situation, clarifying a legal point or would just like to confirm your understanding, we are happy to discuss, offer observations, and where appropriate signpost you to relevant information, in an effort to empower you to exercise your professional judgement with confidence.

To submit an enquiry, please fill in our online form or see our support page for other contact methods.

•   Medicines, Ethics and Practice Guide (MEP)

The Medicines, Ethics & Practice guide is an invaluable reference guide to pharmacy practice, in terms of legal and ethical issues and best practice pointers. It is a portable resource that can also be accessed electronically - on your smartphone or tablet for example.

As a Member, you get your own personal copy of the MEP, a highly regarded reference guide for pharmacists each year, as well as the confidence in knowing you’re professionalism and professional judgment is being backed by sound guidance.

•   Networks and Local Practice Forums (LPF)

Familiarising yourself with the RPS networks and LPFs is a great way of making contact with pharmacist peers. In particular, joining the Recently Qualified Network is an ideal way to connect with other members that may be facing the same challenges as you.

Your LPF is a local hub that can open up another support network to you. Joining your LPF offers the opportunity to attend local discussion events, meet other young pharmacists across the sectors as well as pharmacists at different stages of their careers. To find your local LPF, visit our Local Practice Forum pages.

In addition some LPFs run educational events and professional development programmes, providing a comfortable environment to facilitate learning.

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Your learning does not stop now that you're qualified, as a pharmacist you'll be required to maintain your professional development through CPD. It is important that as you develop your skills through your day to day practice you supplement those skills with up to date knowledge of the latest developments in pharmacy.

•   Support resources

Our ever-increasing suite of quick reference guides and professional support bulletins are useful tools designed to offer you that sense of reassurance allowing you to feel confident to practice responsibly and successfully whilst building your knowledge. 

They cover many aspects of pharmacy practice and will be an invaluable resource during your first few years of practice. 

• You can download a range of quick reference guides focusing on pharmacy practice, law and ethics, reclassification of POM to P medicines, public health and clinical aspects of pharmacy.
• Professional Support Bulletins are published every month and highlights current issues, new legislation or guidance affecting pharmacy.
• You can choose to receive regular Support Alerts about drug and device recalls, patient safety notices, health professional letters and other important communications concerning patient safety.
• You'll receive a weekly copy of the Pharmaceutical Journal, which can also be accessed online. It is great resource to keep you up to date on pharmacy issues and includes a section to support your CPD
• The Clinical Pharmacist journal focuses on the clinical management of various diseases, clinical pharmacy practice and the work of pharmacists in high-level clinical roles. It is available to members on request at no additional cost by contacting the membership team.
• Learning Online is a CPD e-newsletter created by PJ Publications highlighting the learning and development resources available through PJ Online. It is designed to support your CPD and give you quick access to a range of clinical and practice topics. To receive Learning Online, members should select 'publishing emails' in the preferences section of My Profile.

•   Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Support

We can help you to develop good practice from day one. We work to ensure you keep up to date with the latest developments in pharmacy, deliver an optimal service to patients and the public and meet the requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council.

We will support you with recording your CPD by giving you advice, self assessment support, case studies and a records submission checklist. We can also support you with completing your online CPD entries and record submissions when you are called for review by the GPhC and provide step by step guidance with the different forms.

As a member, you'll also have access to PJ Online's large archive on CPD articles, with free 'check your learning' and 'ask the expert' functions to support your learning.

•   Webinars

We want to ensure that all members are able to access the learning and development opportunities provided through the RPS events programme and benefit from the knowledge imparted by speakers who are regarded as experts in their fields by their peers. They are a great way to keep up-to-date with current pharmacy topics and clinical areas outside of working hours.

We host a number of webinars which are a great way to learn at a time that suits you. Participants can take part remotely via a computer and our webinar events include question and answer sessions allowing full participation between the audience and the presenter. In addition to live webinars, recordings of previous sessions are also available.

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Naturally you'll have personal goals and ambitions about how you want to progress your career. Whether you’re looking to build on your skills or transition to another area of pharmacy, RPS membership offers resources that can support your career goals.

•   Leadership Competency Framework

The leadership framework applies to all pharmacy professionals at every stage of their career. We provide you with resources to help you acquire the leadership competence required to meet specific pharmacy based challenges including:

• Demonstrating personal qualities
• Working with others
• Managing services
• Improving services
• Setting direction

The framework allows you to develop skills which will be crucial to your ongoing professional development and career prospects in all areas of the pharmacy profession.

•   Mentoring service

As a member, you can register on our mentoring service database as a mentor to help others or as a mentee to access mentoring support from other members.

You can mutuatlly learn through a trustworthy and confidential mentoring relationship which supports your professional and career development.

•   Careers support

We can provide information and advice on changing pharmacy sectors or embarking on a new role. We also offer guidance on developing your CV as well as support applying for new jobs and preparing for interviews.

Visit PJ Careers to view current pharmacy vacancies, and tips on writing CVs, applying for jobs & preparing for interviews.

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