At Everest Pharmacy, we believe that investing in education is essential for the future of healthcare. As a growing network of community pharmacies across Manchester and Lancashire, we are proud to support the training and development of the next generation of healthcare providers. By offering structured community pharmacy placements, we help local students gain real-world experience while supporting high-quality patient care across our branches.
Our approach focuses on practical learning, professional responsibility, and exposure to the unique needs of patients who use both NHS and private pharmacy services. This ensures students develop the confidence and skills needed to succeed in modern pharmacy practice.
If you are a student or academic partner looking to learn more, you can contact us to discuss placement opportunities.
Supporting MPharm Students Through Community Pharmacy Placements
We work closely with universities to support MPharm students in Manchester and surrounding areas through supervised community pharmacy placements. These placements allow students to integrate into busy pharmacy environments and understand how community pharmacy operates day to day.
During their placement, students are encouraged to engage with a wide range of services, including dispensing, patient consultations, and private clinical services. This exposure helps them understand how pharmacy teams support diverse patient needs across Manchester and Lancashire.
Key benefits of our placements include:
-
- –> Hands on experience in real pharmacy settings
- –> Exposure to both NHS and private healthcare services
- –> Opportunities to interact directly with patients
- –> Insight into the operational and clinical aspects of community pharmacy
Students are supported by experienced pharmacists and trained teams who prioritise learning alongside patient safety.
Understanding the Needs of Private Pharmacy Users
Private pharmacy services are an increasingly important part of community healthcare. At Everest Pharmacy, students gain valuable insight into how private services complement NHS care and support patients seeking timely access to treatment.
Placements help students understand:
-
- –> Why patients choose private pharmacy services
- –> How to communicate clearly about treatment options
- –> The importance of confidentiality and professionalism
- –> How private services are delivered safely and ethically
This experience is particularly valuable for students planning to work in areas where private and NHS services operate side by side.
What Do Our Placement Students Do and Will It Impact Patient Care?
During their placements, students learn by actively supporting the pharmacy team in delivering real clinical services such as the Hypertension Case Finding Service and General Health Checks. Under supervision, they observe how blood pressure checks are carried out, how readings are interpreted, and how patients are communicated with in a clear and reassuring way.
As their confidence and competence grow, students help with patient engagement, data collection, and understanding referral pathways, allowing them to develop practical clinical skills while directly supporting the safe and efficient delivery of services within the pharmacy.
This doesn’t only provide our team with additional time for local users, but also ensures that the future of local pharmacy healthcare is in safe hands.
Using the Entrustable Professional Activities Framework
Our student training programme is facilitated using the Entrustable Professional Activities, or EPA, Framework. This structured approach allows us to map student progress clearly and support competency-based learning in a practical environment.
The EPA Framework focuses on real tasks that pharmacy professionals are expected to perform safely and independently. By aligning student activities with EPAs, we can evidence skills development in a meaningful and measurable way.
We use the framework to:
-
- Identify key activities relevant to community pharmacy practice
- Match tasks to the student’s current level of training
- Observe and assess performance in real scenarios
- Provide constructive feedback and support progression
This method ensures students are not only learning theory but also demonstrating competence in everyday pharmacy practice.
Mapping Skills and Supporting the Pharmacy Team
A key part of our placement structure involves mapping the skills and experience of each student. This allows us to tailor learning opportunities and ensure students contribute positively to the pharmacy team.
Students may support the team by:
-
- –> Assisting with dispensing processes under supervision
- –> Supporting patient consultations and health advice
- –> Learning about private service delivery and governance
- –> Observing clinical decision-making
As students gain confidence, their responsibilities increase in line with their demonstrated competence. This helps evidence their ability to support the pharmacy team while maintaining high standards of care.
Benefits for Students and the Wider Community
By hosting placements, Everest Pharmacy plays a role in strengthening the future workforce while benefiting local communities. Patients gain from enthusiastic learners supported by experienced professionals, and students gain confidence in real-world settings.
Benefits include:
-
- –> Improved readiness for professional practice
- –> Greater understanding of community health needs
- –> Stronger links between education and healthcare delivery
- –> Support for sustainable pharmacy services in Manchester and Lancashire
This approach ensures future pharmacists are well prepared to meet the evolving demands of healthcare.
Our Commitment to Education and Professional Development
Training future healthcare providers is a responsibility we take seriously. Through structured placements, supportive supervision, and the use of the EPA Framework, Everest Pharmacy is committed to high-quality education and patient care.
If you are a student, university partner, or healthcare organisation interested in working with us, contact Everest Pharmacy today or reach out to your local branch to learn more about our training programmes and community pharmacy placements.
This blog was written on behalf of Everest Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.