Welsh community pharmacy contractors can claim £150 for completing a survey on the “facilitators, benefits and barriers to employing registered pharmacy technicians”.

The survey is available as part of the workforce incentive scheme. Contractors, whether they  employ pharmacy technicians or not can complete it and claim the payment after making a declaration on the national electronic claim and audit form (NECAF) system.

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Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) said the deadline to complete the survey is March 31, and the NECAF declaration needs to be submitted by May 5.

It added that contractors with multiple pharmacies can complete one per premises or a single survey for all contracts held in each local health board, as each survey response will attract a £150 payment.

Funding

CPW said that up to £3k annually is available as part of funding for contractors who do not currently employ a pharmacy technician to “develop pharmacy technician roles”.

Contractors are able to claim under three conditions:

• A staff member enrolled in a General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) approved pharmacy technician training programme under the 2024-25 workforce scheme where the contractor was claiming a band 1 payment only
• A staff member enrolled in any GPhC approved programme on or after 1st April 2025
• A staff member enrolled in an access course necessary to meet the entry requirements for a GPhC approved pharmacy technician training programme, on or after 1st April 2025

A pharmacy can claim £250 a month, adding up to £3k annually, where it has had a staff member enrolled in a pharmacy technician training programme.

Or a pharmacy can claim £83 a month, adding up to £1k annually, where it has had a staff member enrolled in an access course.

Payment can be claimed on NECAF monthly and backdated claims to April 2025 can be submitted now too.

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In October, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) launched a new consultation that plans to increase the level of study for pharmacy technicians from level 3 to “at least” level 4.

But the CCA said raising the minimum qualification level for pharmacy technicians “will exacerbate workforce shortages” and cost employers and the government £150m per year.

In November, the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) appointed Amy Laflin as its next president.