A joint letter to pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians and educational supervisors about the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on their training has been issued by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK).

In the letter, GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin and APTUK president Liz Fidler thank trainees and educational supervisors for their significant contribution in helping pharmacy teams and patients and the public in very challenging circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter goes on to explain that the GPhC and APTUK are working in collaboration with employers, education providers, awarding organisations and apprenticeship organisations to aid decision making about any reasonable adjustments that may need to be made to allow for breaks in training that are fair to trainees and recognise the significant pressures that community pharmacies are under now and in the months to come.

Educational supervisors and training managers are also encouraged to take a flexible and proportionate approach in relation to training. Pre-registration pharmacy technicians are reassured that should they need to self-isolate and take a break from their training, it will not affect the validity of their training plan, but they should keep in touch with their educational supervisor while in isolation.

Mr Rudkin and Ms Fidler promise to provide further updates when available and stress that pre-registration pharmacy technicians should not worry, but rather "focus on the important role you are playing in supporting patients during the COVID-19 pandemic".