Global overview of pharmacy support personnel training programmes: a scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice and Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development
• Regulatory Science

Background:

• Global variations exist in pharmacy support personnel training programs.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for standardizing pharmaceutical care and workforce competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review mapping global evidence on pharmacy support personnel training program characteristics.
• To examine the interface between training knowledge, practical application, and regulatory requirements.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of peer-reviewed literature and grey literature with no time limit.
• Inclusion of studies in English focusing on training programs, certification, professional development, and apprenticeships.
• Data extraction on skills, knowledge, competencies, content, delivery, and accreditation, followed by descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

Main Results:

• The review will collate and present quantitative data on training program characteristics using descriptive statistics.
• Qualitative content analysis will provide a narrative account of findings from the literature.
• The study aims to provide a comprehensive global overview of current training landscapes.

Conclusions:

• This scoping review will offer a broad understanding of the global pharmacy support personnel training landscape.
• Findings will inform discussions on harmonizing training standards and regulatory alignment worldwide.
• The study will identify evidence gaps in pharmacy support personnel education and professional development.