Pharmacy support staff training involves completing a GPhC-recognised qualification, a GPhC-recognised apprenticeship pathway, or a GPhC-accredited training course.
Support staff courses must be directly accredited by the GPhC, and qualifications and apprenticeship pathways must either be accredited by the GPhC or be operating under a recognised awarding organisation.
Qualifications or apprenticeship pathways may be offered by centre providers not listed below. This is because the quality assurance of the qualification or apprenticeship pathway is undertaken by a GPhC recognised awarding organisation.
Below is a list of awarding organisations and/or providers who have met the support staff education requirements to deliver a course, qualification or apprenticeship pathway.
For more information on the GPhC's accreditation and recognition process, please see Approval process for education and training providers.
Quick links to sections
- Recognised support staff qualifications
- Accredited support staff courses
- Approved apprenticeship pathways
- Qualifications and courses currently in teach out
Recognised support staff qualifications
The GPhC recognises the qualifications provided by the following awarding bodies:
Pearsons/Edexcel
Level 2 Certificate in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Support Staff (Qualification), report (Aug 2020)
Current recognition period: Oct 2020 - Oct 2026
Open Awards
Level 2 Certificate in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Support Staff (Qualification)
Current recognition period: February 2021 - February 2027
Parts 1 and 2 report (Dec 2020)
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
SVQ in Pharmacy Services at SCQF level 6 (Qualification)
Current recognition period: May 2021 - May 2027
Parts 1 and 2 report (May 2021)
Part 3 report (May 2021) updated April 2023
Change request approval (April 2023)
Accredited support staff courses
The GPhC accredits the following providers to offer support staff training courses:
Boots UK
Courses offered and reports
Current accreditation period: Jun 2022 - Jun 2025
Accreditation Boots UK - all courses, part 1 and 2 report (Mar 2022)
Dispensing programme, part 3 report (Mar 2022)
Dispensing Assistant Pharmacy Operative, part 3 report (Mar 2022)
Healthcare Advisor, part 3 report (Mar 2022)
Pharmacy Advisor, part 3 report (Mar 2022)
Buttercups Training
Courses offered and reports
Current accreditation period: Nov 2021 - Nov 2024
Accreditation Buttercups Training - all courses - parts 1 and 2 report (July 2021)
Dispensing Assistants (DA), part 3 report (Jul 2021)
Medicines Counter Assistants (MCA), part 3 report (Jul 2021)
Pharmacy Healthcare Assistants (HCA), part 3 report (July 2021)
Pharmacy Delivery Drivers, part 3 report (July 2021)
Pharmacy Assistants in Manufacturing, part 3 report (July 2021)
Dispensary Stock Management, part 3 report (July 2021)
Pharmacy Support Worker Course, part 3 report (July 2021)
Pharmacy Services Assistant (PSA) Apprenticeship, part 3 report (July 2021)
Accuracy Checking Dispensing Assistant (ACDA), part 3 report (August 2022)
CIG Healthcare Partnership
Courses offered and reports
Current accreditation period: July 2022 - July 2025
Accreditation CIG all courses - part 1 and 2 report (March 2022)
Pharmacy Assistant (PAC), part 3 report (March 2022)
Medicines counter assistant (plus stock control), part 3 report (March 2022)
MediaPharm
Courses offered and reports
Current accreditation period: Sept 2021 - Sept 2024
Accreditation MediaPharm all courses - parts 1 and 2 report (April 2021)
Medicines Counter Assistant, part 3 report (April 2021)
Dispensing Assistant, part 3 report (April 2021)
Pharmacy Assistant, part 3 report (April 2021)
Medicines Stock Assistant, part 3 report (April 2021)
Delivery Driver, part 3 report (April 2021)
Homecare Customer Service Assistant, part 3 report (April 2021)
Customer Service Assistant, part 3 report (April 2021)
Accuracy Checking Dispenser, part 3 report (July 2021)
National Pharmacy Association (NPA)
Courses offered and reports
Current accreditation period: Jan 2022 - Jan 2025
Accreditation NPA all courses - parts 1 and 2 report (Nov 2021)
Combined medicines Counter and Dispensing Assistant, part 3 report (Nov 2021)
Dispensing Assistant (known as ADAC), part 3 report (Nov 2021)
Delivering Medicines Safely and Effectively, part 3 report (Nov 2021)
Introduction to Pharmacy Stock Control, part 3 report (Nov 2021)
Medicines counter assistant, part 3 report (Nov 2021)
Accuracy Checking for Dispensers, part 3 report (August 2022)
Approved apprenticeship pathways
The apprenticeship pathway is made up of qualifications/courses offered by the providers below.
Buttercups Training
Pharmacy Services Assistant Apprenticeship (using the GPhC accredited Dispensing Assistant course)
Current accreditation period: Nov 2021 - Nov 2024
Open Awards
Level 2 Certificate in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Support Staff (Apprenticeship), part 3 report
Current recognition period: February 2021 - February 2027
Pearsons/Edexcel
BTEC L2 Certificate in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Support Staff (Apprenticeship), report (Aug 2020)
Current recognition period: Oct 2020 - Oct 2026
Skills4Pharmacy
Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard Course for Pharmacy Support Workers (PSW) parts 1 and 2 report
Part 3 report (technical mapping)
Approved change request Dec 2022
Current accreditation period: Jan 2021 - Jan 2024
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
SVQ in Pharmacy Services at SCQF level 6 (Apprenticeship)
Current recognition period: May 2021 - May 2027
Qualifications and courses currently in teach out
The GPhC continues to recognise the following qualifications and courses provided that a trainee was enrolled prior to the dates shown below and completes the qualifications/courses within the teach out period stated.
City & Guilds
Level 2 Certificate in Pharmaceutical Science (knowledge based) (500/9575/4)
Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills (competence based) (500/9234/0)
Current recognition period: Ended. Teach out period valid until 30th September 2022 (for trainees enrolled prior to 11:59pm 30th September 2020).
Pearsons/Edexcel
BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Pharmaceutical Science (knowledge based) (500/9579/1)
Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills (competence based) (500/9351/4)
Current recognition period: Ended. Teach out period valid until 30th September 2022 (for trainees enrolled prior to 11:59pm 30th September 2020).
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
SVQ in Pharmacy Services at SCQF Level 5 (competence based) (GG07 22)
Current recognition period: Ended. Teach out period valid until 31st July 2023 (for trainees enrolled prior to 11:59pm 31st July 2021).
Scientia Skills
Dispensing Assistant
Current accreditation period: Ended. Teach out period valid until 22nd May 2023 (for trainees enrolled prior to 11:59pm 31st January 2022).
Dispensing assistant reaccreditation report (Oct 2018)
Looking After Dispensary Stock
Current accreditation period: Ended. Teach out period valid until 11th July 2022 (for trainees enrolled prior to 11:59pm 31st January 2022).
Looking after stock reaccreditation report (Oct 2018)
Pharmacy Assistant Programme
Current accreditation period: Ended. Teach out period valid until 4th November 2024 (for trainees enrolled prior to 11:59pm 31st January 2022).
Pharmacy assistant accreditation report (Oct 2018)
Medicines counter assistant
Current accreditation period: Ended. Teach out period valid until 29th January 2024 (for trainees enrolled prior to 11:59pm 31st January 2022).
Medicines counter assistant reaccreditation report (Oct 2018)