Health Professions & Social Services
Pharmacy Services Diploma
Campus Sighthill Campus
Qualification SCQF Level 8
Study mode Part time
Start date
Aug 2026
Course enquiry form
Course overview
If you are a new or experienced pharmacy support worker or are employed as a pre-registration pharmacy technician working within the NHS and want to pursue a career as a fully qualified pharmacy technician, then this course will provide you with the skills, knowledge and qualification to do so.
This course is delivered over a two-year day-release program, where you will learn and develop an understanding of physiological systems, clinical disease states, and the actions and uses of medicines, as well as covering clinical, operational, and scientific practices and procedures.
As well as attending college lectures (online and in class), you will also undertake the 12 SVQ mandatory units, where you will train, learn and build your knowledge and skills within the workplace whilst gathering, generating and submitting evidence to your e-portfolio showing and demonstrating your own development and competence over your two-year course.
Any enquiries should be sent to pharmacy@edinburghcollege.ac.uk
What you will learn
Year 1
- Professional Practice in Pharmacy
- Supply of Prescribed Medicines
- Pharmacological Principles: An Introduction
- Pharmacotherapeutics
- Storage and Use of Medicines
Year 2
- Clinical Governance and Risk Management in Pharmacy
- Pharmacotherapeutics, continued
- Health Promotion in Pharmacy
How the course is assessed
- Open and Closed Book Assessments
- Candidate Observation in the Workplace
- Candidate Reflective accounts
Number of days per week
- 1 day per week on a Friday- Blended approach, MS Teams and on campus.
Entry requirements
- National 5 Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics/Numeracy, English.
- You must be employed as a trainee Pharmacy technician in the pharmacy setting.
English Proficiency Requirements
IELTS 7.0 or aboveProgression and Articulation Routes
- HNC Pharmacy Services, Development and Management.
Career options
- You can apply to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) for registration as a Pharmacy Technician.
Study Options
| Campus | Study mode | Start date |
|---|---|---|
| Sighthill Campus | Part time | 28/08/26 |
