Pharmacy is the third-largest profession in south east London, after medicine and nursing. By working together across sectors, our pharmacy workforce can significantly improve patient care and outcomes.
The SEL ICS Joint Forward Plan for Transforming and Integrating Medicines Optimisation makes developing the pharmacy workforce a key priority, supporting the NHS Long Term Plan. We aim to achieve this by:
- Building trust and collaboration across the profession and with other healthcare teams.
- Using co-production to design services that support personalised care and shared decision-making.
- Helping pharmacy teams work to their full potential by embracing new roles and skills, including prescribing.
- Creating innovative, inclusive solutions to workforce challenges.
- Providing training through local and national programmes.
- Strengthening leadership across sectors and developing neighbourhood pharmacy leaders.
Current initiatives
To deliver this vision, we have created several groups and programmes:
One Pharmacy Workforce
A shared approach to attract, develop and retain pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants across south east London.
SEL Integrated Pharmacy Workforce Group
Unites all sectors of the pharmacy workforce to implement the workforce plan and support transformation.
SEL Transforming and Integrating Medicines Optimisation Network
Encourages collaboration and innovation to address challenges and improve pharmacy practices.
Foundation Pharmacist Prescribing
Prepares new pharmacists for independent prescribing roles.
Community Pharmacy Integration
Strengthens ties between community pharmacies and other primary care services to enhance patient care and reduce health inequalities.
