"My current Foundation Pharmacist has changed and developed a lot. His confidence has grown. I still keep in touch with a number of my ex- Foundation Pharmacists and I love to hear from them. One is still with us. It also makes me proud when they contact me for advice. Even I contact my prescribing GP who taught me my prescribing qualification, if I have any doubts!"

"I have been with Well since 1996. I joined from an independent pharmacy, as I needed to work with a company that would provide succession planning and allow me to do different roles. I also want to develop myself and I also love to learn new things. The company gave me a number of options."

"Prior to this year’s foundation pharmacists, I was fortunate to have had four amazing pre-registration students, and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching them and also allowing them to develop. This was my first year with a Foundation Pharmacist post-covid. I see my role as trying to embed my experience and teaching them how to apply what they learnt at university. I also try and teach them about the other roles involved in being a Pharmacy Manager (like HR and planogrammes, etc). To be fair, I also learn from them and I know I have to keep my knowledge up to date with the questions they ask."

"You see the development of a Pharmacist turning into a confident manager. Their career progression and also when they ring you for help. I still keep in touch with a number of them and it is interesting how they have all chosen different career pathways."

"Support Centre is excellent and provides all the tools to help deliver the training. My aim is to make a Foundation Pharmacist a Healthcare Assistant within 3 months, a Technician within 6 months, a Pharmacist within 9 months and a Manager within 12 months. The Foundation Pharmacist really needs to be organised, and the 12 months go really quickly. They need to stay focused and use their time effectively. Remember, I am a Supervisor and a person to ask questions to. I am glad Support Centre put in a structure for them to follow, and I adhere to this."

"The team have a wealth of experience, e.g. Julia helped a Pharmacist learn about cashing up. The colleagues also helped with teaching the Foundation Pharmacist about how to label and where to order odd items (Specials and Wardles). They are also a wealth of information when it comes to counter prescribing. The team’s experience is so vital in their development. They also build their communication skills with different people."

"For the student, it is not going to be easy. In 12 months, you have to change from a student with immense scientific knowledge to a capable and competent Pharmacist who can apply all the skills learnt. A lot of emphasis is on the student organising there own training and utilising that time properly. The supervisor is always there to turn to."

"I have been with Well since the age of 16. I started as a healthcare assistant in a busy health centre pharmacy and stayed on a 0 hour relief dispenser contract whilst at university. I had multiple foundation year offers but decided that Well's support and structure throughout my application process stood out above the rest. I had a successful training year and quickly established myself as a hardworking pharmacist who was willing to face challenges and improve standards across the toughest of pharmacies. I currently manage Chesterton surrounded by a great, high performing team dispensing 18,500 items a month. I am currently training my 4th foundation pharmacist and looking forward to supporting my 5th this year."

"The day to day of a designated supervisor is very similar to the day to day of a pharmacist however there is constant learning for both parties. My knowledge is constantly being tested and developed alongside a trainee who relies on you for direction and support. Every prescription or interaction has the potential to become a learning point for you and your trainee. Part of the skill of being a designated supervisor is identifying the suitable situations to stretch your foundation pharmacist and as the year progresses being able to identify more opportunities to give them as their knowledge and your trust in them grows."

"I support my foundation pharmacist day to day by being there to bounce ideas off, overhear their conversations with patients and provide emotional support in a really testing time for them. Going from studying to full time work with one of the biggest exams they will ever sit looming at the end of the year is something which can be daunting and difficult to manage. My job as a designated supervisor is to manage their expectations and ease them in to the world of pharmacy. I cannot pass the exam for my trainees but I can provide them with the tools and the experience to navigate the exam and make fantastic community pharmacists. I have a great safety net of support with a fantastic People Development team in Support Centre, as a designated supervisor we have training sessions at the start and half way through the year along with valuable mental health training to identify potential stresses throughout the year."

"From day one my team see our foundation pharmacist as a qualified pharmacist and treat them as such. They come in with a level of clinical knowledge and the team view them as a second pharmacist in the pharmacy. When patients come in and ask for the pharmacist our foundation pharmacist will go out and speak to them as soon as possible. The team also know to approach the foundation pharmacist for advice and help. As the year progresses they take on more tasks around the dispensary and more services usually conducted by the pharmacist. My trainees provide consultations for our patients both in person and on the phone, they engage with GP surgeries and gain a reputation as someone the local community can trust. I give my foundation pharmacist as much responsibility throughout the year as I can, they conduct my staff's end of year reviews, provide active feedback for the team and are exposed to as much as possible so that when they qualify nothing should be new to them."

"The best thing about being a designated supervisor is knowing that you are shaping future pharmacists. I love seeing the development in my trainees, from starting out with minimal community pharmacy experience and a wealth of clinical knowledge to having the skills and knowledge to be able to go out on their own and make positive changes in the communities they will go on to serve."

"As someone who has seen the development of Well's foundation program over the years I can confidently say the support, guidance and structure is second to none. For students looking to do their foundation year with Well, you will have great opportunities to grow as a person and as a pharmacist and you'll have the benefit of passionate and experienced designated supervisors alongside a great People Development team in Support Centre. My opportunities with Well have been plentiful and there is something to suit everyone's personality and career goals. For pharmacists considering becoming a designated supervisor you have the ability to mould future pharmacists into passionate, hard working and capable individuals. Your clinical knowledge will be tested and stretched, keeping you up to date with the profession in an environment where your skills and passion will be passed on to the next generation. My foundation pharmacists are a reflection of my determination and hard work and every time I get a new trainee it takes me back to when I first started out, reigniting my passion for pharmacy year on year."

"I am proud of every one of my foundation pharmacists. Seeing the progression from shy pharmacy graduate to confident and well equipped pharmacist, forging their own path, is a great moment. At the start of every year there is a student in front of you, who doesn't know the team and is wary of giving advice to patients. Over the course of the following 12 months, with your support, they grow in confidence and manage situations they never thought they would be in. Once they’ve passed their exam, they have the freedom to map out their future career whether that's as relief pharmacist, pharmacist or pharmacy manager. I look back on the foundation pharmacists I've had and they've all taken slightly different roles on, but knowing they've left me with the tools to enable them to do anything they put their minds to is a great feeling."

"I have been with Well Pharmacy for 11 years now. I started as a Relief Manager and covered several pharmacies, meeting lots of different teams. I then took on the role of a Pharmacist Manager on secondment and am currently the Pharmacist Manager at Well Kingsbury. Alongside this, I am also the Regional Facilitator for the Watford group of Foundation Trainees."

"My day-to-day role as a Designated Supervisor involves giving the trainee plenty of opportunities to shadow myself or the team for a wide variety of essential activities, in the dispensary and on the shop floor, for the smooth running of a pharmacy. I believe that it is important for my trainee to be exposed to as many patient consultations and services as possible, giving them the chance to implement their university gained knowledge in practice. I have fortnightly catch ups with my trainee and empower them to be able to lead a team with or without me."

"The best thing about being a Designated Supervisor is being a part of the trainee's journey- seeing them grow from day one, from their uncertain 'I don't know' moments to their confident ‘I got this' moments. It is very satisfying to see them feel empowered. I've also been lucky to share some strong rapports with my trainees and even after several years some of them still keep in touch!"

"Alongside being a Designated Supervisor, I’m also a Regional Facilitator for the Watford group of trainees. I support the Foundation Trainees by running training days, face-to-face and online, delivering essential content to enable them to take the GPhC exam successfully. I am available as support to them for any questions they may have and also for their welfare. I am supported tremendously by a very friendly and informative People Development team who keep me abreast with changing learning needs and GPhC requirements."

"Training any individual is a team effort, and my team also take pride in being part of the trainee's learning journey. I utilise the strenghts of my team members to train the trainee, and at the very beginning of the foundation year I let my trainee know that their learning will come from the entire team. Sometimes, I work by pairing up my trainee with a different staff member from time to time, so that they can both learn from each other."

"My advice would be, firstly, to take pride in the role. Look at it as you are one of the foundations for your trainee to succeed and what better than to give them the strongest start! Take some conscious time out to have your fortnightly catch ups and be very approachable. Try to learn to adapt your teaching style to your trainee's learning needs to create a more fun and productive learning environment!"

"It is a proud moment to see a trainee go from Trainee Pharmacist to qualified Pharmacist. It is indeed very satisfying to see their hard work paying off. It feels great to know that, as a Designated Supervisor, you have been heavily involved in helping them shape their future by empowering them with the right skills to move forward in their career pathway, be it with Well or whichever pathway they choose to follow."