Association of Pharmacy Technicians United Kingdom (APTUK)

Overview of member country’s Pharmacy Technician Association

The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) is the Professional Leadership Body for pharmacy technicians working in the UK’. It aims to work on behalf of pharmacy technicians and in partnership with other pharmacy organisations to help deliver professional excellence. The APTUK promotes professionalism in pharmacy technicians and the delivery of high quality care to patients. APTUK provides the highest level of support in the most cost-effective manner to help members reach and maintain their professional standards.
APTUK recognise excellence through its awards schemes. APTUK guides its members to display attitudes and behaviours associated with outstanding healthcare professionals. In all that APTUK and, by default pharmacy technicians, do, the primary focus is be the safety, health and well being of patients.

APTUKs five commitments to its members are:
1.    Respond to the needs of pharmacy technicians
2.    Provide CPD support and professional development
3.    Actively pursue professional networking and sharing of knowledge
4.    Promote pharmacy technicians through active response to health care policy
5.    Support advanced roles for pharmacy technicians

Member country web links to other important organisations , for example the countries pharmacy professional regulator if pharmacy technicians are registered

The professional regulator for pharmacy technicians working in Great Britain (that is England, Scotland and Wales) is the General Pharmaceutical Council. European and overseas pharmacy technicians are required to be registered with the GPhC to be able to practise in Great Britain

http://www.pharmacyregulation.org

The professional regulator for Northern Ireland is Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. Pharmacy Technicians in Northern Ireland are not yet regulated by registration.

http://www.psni.org.uk

The professional leadership body for pharmacists in
Great Britain is the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)and APTUK work collaboratively with the RPS
http://www.rpharms.com
Northern Ireland is the Pharmacy Forum Northern Ireland
http://forum.psni.org.uk

Overview of members country’s pharmacy and pharmacy technicians

In order to practise in Great Britain, ALL pharmacy technicians must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and satisfy the regulator that they meet the conditions of registration.
There are approximately 22,500 pharmacy technicians working in Great Britain who registered pharmacy professionals. The GPhC also register pharmacists and pharmacy premises and each year registration must be renewed which involves completing a declaration stating that the professional fitness to practise and ethical standards have been met. Registration as a registered pharmacy professional carries with it are requirement to accept professional accountability and responsibility for pharmacy practice.

As with all professional leadership bodies in the UK, membership of APTUK is voluntary and not all pharmacy technicians in the UK are members of APTUK. . However, APTUK are committed to representing and leading its members and aims to raise the status and profile of the pharmacy technician profession and represents the interest of its members to the GPhC, government and users of pharmacy services.  UK Pharmacy Technicians have a legal duty of care towards patients and the public and APTUK aims to support its members continuing fitness to practise and professional behaviour. APTUK members are able to use a post nominal of ‘MAPharmT’ that demonstrates commitment to the professional through membership of the professional leadership body.

APTUK pharmacy technician members work in community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, community hospital pharmacies, the pharmaceutical industry, general practitioners doctors surgeries and clinics, prison pharmacies, military pharmacies and clinical commissioning group and primary care teams.

General contact EAPT

Christina Durinck

President of EAPT

Route d'Eupen, 36
B-4837 BAELEN
Belgium