Boots Foundation Pharmacist Programme and experiences as a Newly Qualified Pharmacist

The Boots Foundation Programme gives newly qualified pharmacists exactly that with great support and training during the first 1000 days of practice.

Prior to qualifying I had done both a summer placement and pre-registration year with Boots. The support and training I received during these times was fantastic and certainly had a positive influence on how I practice today. Boots has a great culture of training and support for their staff which I have experienced first-hand at each stage of my development since I joined the company around 2 and a half years ago.

After qualifying as a pharmacist, it can be quite daunting. Within the foundation programme there are training days every few months which also allow you to take stock of where you are in your development, what you need to work on and share experiences with other newly qualified pharmacists. These training days are facilitated by the same teacher practitioners that were involved in my pre-registration training days which is ideal because I already have a strong relationship with them.

One of the major factors that made me want to join Boots in the first place was the variety of roles that were available to pharmacists within the company. I have already completed the Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacist training which has enabled me to give information to patients with cancer based on their needs or direct them to a more appropriate source. The Advanced Practitioner Programme offered by Boots is something that I plan to complete in the future. I have also been helping to facilitate pre-registration training days. Sharing my experiences with others and helping them learn is something I’ve always been passionate about and this is something I’m keen to get more involved with in the future. There are so many opportunities for pharmacists within Boots I really couldn’t be working for a better company.