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NHS Education for Scotland

A skilled and sustainable workforce for a healthier Scotland

FTY applicants

The FTY Recruitment Applicant Handbook for Prospective Trainee Pharmacists contains essential information regarding how the scheme is structured and how the recruitment process operates, including an overview of the assessment process   

***This guidance will be published in due course.   

  

The Job Description, Person Specification and Professional Attributes Framework are also very important and provide specific details of the criteria that candidates are required to demonstrate throughout the recruitment process.  All applicants are strongly advised to read these documents thoroughly prior to submitting an application.     

***These documents will be published in due course.   

In collaboration with HEE (England), HEIW (Wales) and NES (Scotland), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has published answers to commonly asked questions regarding the National Recruitment Scheme.  

Recruitment timeline and online recruitment   

Applications will open on Oriel in June 2026 and the recruitment timeline will be published in due course, applicants are advised to add these key dates to their diary. There are strict deadlines for applications, booking assessment slots and for responding to offers of a FTY post. It is really important for you to ensure you plan around these dates as it will not be possible for us to make any alternative arrangements.   

The online recruitment system Oriel will be used throughout the recruitment process for the following purposes:   

  • Access training provider information statements    
  • Complete a FTY application form    
  • Select a date and time for attending the assessment    
  • Complete a candidate preference list   

 

 If you get locked out of your oriel account, please contact nationalrecruitment@nes.scot.nhs.uk for assistance.   

Training Provider Information Statements    

The Training Provider Information Statements allow applicants to search for Training Providers according to their preference for sector and/or geographical area.     

Details of Training Providers involved in FTY for training year 2027-28 will be published on the public NES TPI site once reviewed.   

As part of the selection process, applicants are required to submit a Preference List of Training Providers that they are interested in completing their training with.    

For the 2025 cycle of recruitment Training Providers were given two options:   

Option A – to submit a preference list – in this case it is extremely important that Training Providers get to know you prior to the selection process and it is the responsibility of the candidate to make contact with Training Providers at their earliest opportunity to increase their chance of being included on a Preference List. You should endeavour to contact all of your preferred Training Providers to discuss the opportunities for vacational or part-time employment with them, or, at the very least, to arrange to contact/visit the pharmacy and discuss the FTY with them.   

Option B – not to submit a preference list – in this case it is possible for the Training Provider to be matched with any appointable candidates who have added the Training Provider to their Preference List. You are not required to contact Training Providers who are not submitting a list, however, we strongly encourage candidates to do so in order to find out more about the opportunities available if you wish to preference a Training Provider in this category.   

Each Training Provider Information Statement clearly states if a Training Provider will be submitting a Preference List or not.   

Training Provider Information Statements will also be published on Oriel once applications open.     

Training Provider Promotional Materials  

Promotional Materials for the Training Providers participating in the 2026 recruitment process will be available in due course. 

Visa and Immigration 

Some pharmacy graduates will require a work visa to enable them to undertake Foundation Training in the UK. It is the graduate’s own responsibility to ensure that you follow the government’s visa processes correctly.  

For visa and immigration guidance please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration. 

Pharmacist Support is an independent charity that provide a wide variety of support services to pharmacists and pharmacy students. This includes online information on finding a foundation trainee pharmacist placement and a list of job vacancy sites that students may find helpful.  For your emotional support they offer a range of wellbeing resources , a Listening Friends peer support service, or a counselling service for psychological and emotional support. Please have a look at their webpages Pharmacy Support or alternatively contact them at info@pharmacistsupport.org or on 0808 168 2233 or 0808 168 5133   

NES FTY 2026-27 Trainee Pharmacists – Post matching Information

This is a summary of the processes available to Foundation Training Year (FTY) trainee pharmacists seeking changes to their training arrangements prior to commencement of the training year.

Deferral of Foundation Training Year 

  • Purpose: Delay training start by up to 12 months for statutory reasons. 
  • When: After recruitment has concluded, before the training start date 
  • Eligibility: statutory reasons only such as ill health, maternity/paternity/adoption leave (post-recruitment only). 
  • Review: Assessed by a NES Programme Lead Panel, consisting of 2 Principal Leads external to FTY; decision within 10 working days. 
  • Potential outcomes: Approved with same or alternative employer, or refused. If refused, the individual will be expected to start their post as planned, or withdraw from the recruitment process and reapply to next National recruitment cycle. 

Process for deferral of FTY applications – https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/ov4ldpi1/nes-fty-deferral-process-guidance.docx

Forms for deferral of FTY applications - https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/brcnhh5h/nes-fty-deferral-request-proforma.docx

Special Circumstances 

  • Purpose: Request relocation due to unforeseen change in circumstances requiring change in location of FTY training, where a suitable site cannot be offered by matched employer. 
  • Eligibility: Primary carer for someone who is disabled (as defined by the Equality Act 2010), medical condition or disability with requirement for follow up in specified location, parental responsibility for child under 18. 
  • Review: Assessed by Programme Lead Panel; decision within 10 working days. 
  • Potential outcomes: Request accepted - NES Support PEC seeks alternative employer in preferred location or request rejected. 

Process for special circumstances applications – https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/obkbidgf/nes-fty-special-circumstance-process-guidance.docx

Form for special circumstances applications -

Less Than Full Time (LTFT) Training 

  • Purpose: Train at reduced hours (minimum 0.5 FTE). 
  • When: Can be before or during training, when need is identified. 
  • Eligibility: Health or caring responsibilities; subject to employer capacity. Impact on training timeline will be discussed with trainee pharmacist. 
  • Review: NES Support PEC will discuss impact on training timeline with trainee pharmacist and explore feasibility with current employer. Application will be jointly reviewed by Principal Lead and Business Support Manager. 
  • Potential outcomes: Approved or declined based on feasibility. 

 

Process LTFT FTY applications – https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/tm5j5pwm/nes-fty-ltft-process-guidance.docx

Forms for LTFT FTY applications - https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/zlddmdu3/nes-fty-ltft-application.docx

The NES FTY team can be contacted at nes.ftypharmacy@nhs.scot for further information.

Contact us 

For any queries regarding the Foundation Training Year Recruitment process, please contact the Pharmacy Recruitment Team by going to the Service Desk here and submitting a support request. 

For general pharmacy queries relating to training site approval or any queries not related to the recruitment process, please email the NES FTY Pharmacy Team - nes.ftypharmacy@nhs.scot