Yesterday I had a call from a distraught pharmacist who desperately wanted to know how to go about growing his new pharmaceutical wholesaling venture which he had set up with a friend. Our conversation went as follows:
Caller: “We have applied for a MHRA wholesale licence to distribute pharmaceutical medicines but I are not clear on who we can supply or how and whom to procure product from”
Me: “Have you taken a course outlining the principles of good distribution practice and the legislation which was introduced not long ago”
Caller:“No, I haven’t but my friend has completed a free on-line course”
It wasn’t long into our conversation by which time the caller realised the vast gap the duos knowledge.
After our conversation, I decided to check out what free GDP courses were available on the web and I was surprised to find several.
These free on-line courses have a common theme. They are all similar in content with the current legislation presented on a series of slides. And, of course as with all things free, nNo guidance, no feedback and no interaction is offered.
The Latin phrase ‘Caveat Emptor’ meaning ‘Let the buyer beware’ comes to mind, although technically such courses are free.
There is no substitute for face to face training . It is a powerful dynamic process if facilitated correctly, as students interact with fellow students and the trainer.
It also provides a medium through which experiences can be shared, questions asked and knowledge gained. In addition recall and retention rates are higher.
At Pharmacy Consulting we offer a number of flexible training courses facilitated by experienced trainers, including:
- Good Distribution Practice
- Responsible Person Training
- Audit Training
- Distance Selling Pharmacy
Up to date availability and dates can be found in the Training Calendar on our website.