The webinar took place on Wednesday 29th April and was hugely successful, with almost 200 pre-regs registering.
The webinar was facilitated by Paul Day, Director of the PDA who welcomed delegates by recognising the importance of representing, defending, supporting, and engaging with members, particularly those beginning their career in the pharmacy sector. Paul outlined how the PDA is responding to member needs.
PDA Chairman Mark Koziol then set the context of pharmacy in the current crisis and the front-line role pharmacists are playing in all sectors, as an integral part of the health care system. Mark covered the differences in the formation of health care professions and outlined the ongoing lobbying that the PDA is doing on behalf of pre-reg members.
The PDA Chairman reiterated that the PDA is listening to pre-reg members and voicing their needs in weekly GPhC meetings. He continued with an update on the six commitments the PDA made to pre-reg members in a letter to them on 3rd April.
The PDA committed to:
- Seek clarity on the future pre-reg assessment
- Support pre-regs in employment issues
- Support safe practice
- Seek clarity on the Pharmacy undergraduate pipeline
- Provide enhanced Indemnity benefits
- Work together with pre-reg members
Collette Bradford, PDA Head of Organising & Engagement, presented the initial results of the PDA’s recent survey of pre-reg members which covered assessment, study and tutoring, employer experiences, health and safety during COVID-19 and the PDA support.
The survey remains open for pre-reg members to complete and the full results will be published in the coming weeks. Key themes were the call for an alternative to the usual assessment process for pre-regs; a demand that this situation should never happen to future cohorts of pre-regs and it highlights issues around the health, safety and wellbeing of all PDA members.
The Chairman also answered live questions on indemnity, what support is available to pre-reg members in these unprecedented times, ‘eligibility to provisional registration’ and future assessment.
Feedback on the webinar was received from pre-reg members on social media, including:
‘The @the_pda pre-reg webinar was inspiring. A great opportunity to understand the current situation, have questions answered and learn about the proposals going ahead. Definitely recommend watching is you haven’t already’
‘@the_pda excellent webinar this evening providing support and reassurance for all pre-regs! Nice to feel supported through all of this! Hopefully the @TheGPhC will make their decisions soon’
‘Thanks @the_pda for the emails, reassurances and the webinar. Very helpful and engaging…. Me and some friends would like to join the focus group. How can we get involved?’
‘The @the_pda pre-reg webinar was absolutely incredible. Massive thank you to Mark and everyone at the team to help us progress and prosper as provisional pharmacists. Keep believing, positivity is the key.’
The webinar closed with details of how all pre-reg members are part of the PDA pre-reg and provisionally registered member network and we launched a specialised Focus Group of members who will be integral to developing the PDA’s offer and support.
During the live webinar Q&A session Alima Batchelor, PDA Head of Policy and Mark Pitt, PDA Director of Defence Services along with PDA Chairman Mark Koziol and Collette Bradford answered a range of questions from pre-reg members and a comprehensive FAQ will be published very soon.
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If you are not yet a member of the PDA, join today. Membership is FREE for students and pre-reg members.