Bone Abstracts

Background: Pre 2026 pharmacists completed a standalone level 7 post-registration qualification demonstrating competence against Royal Pharmaceutical Societys Competency Framework for all Prescribers¹ for General Pharmaceutical Council independent prescriber annotation, including 90 hours in-practice within a defined scope of practice e.g. osteoporosis. Most pharmacists registering from 2026 are annotated upon registration, with prescribing concepts introduced during years 1-4 of MPharm including experiential placements followed by 90 in-practice hours integral to the post-graduate foundation training year in a nominated prescribing area.^2,3 Pharmacist in-practice hours exceed the requirement for allied health professionals to enable development of physical assessment skills relative to their scope. A Designated Prescribing Practitioner oversees all in-practice hours, directly supervising some, with the remainder exposing the learner to scope relevant prescribing for wider framework competency demonstration. Within East Sussex, the over 65 population is 25 percent greater than the national average⁴ implying that education of pharmacist prescribers within the osteoporosis scope could support potential higher local demand for prevention interventions and increase patient awareness of bone health risks.

Methods: During 2025 Sussex based secondary care and community health services pharmacists (n3), undertaking independent prescribing qualifications with osteoporosis scope, undertook Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) nurse non-medical prescriber supervised sessions within Sussex Community FLS. Following qualification and annotation, pharmacists participated in peer discussion highlighting benefits experienced from exposure to FLS and subsequent training delivered to pharmacy learners within scope.

Results: Thematic analysis of qualitative verbal discussion highlighted the osteoporosis scope appropriate for supporting a wide breadth of skills development for participants and future pharmacy learners. Activities included consultation skills, medication and lifestyle counselling, deprescribing considerations and health promotion e.g. via Royal Osteoporosis Society resources and bone health checker tool. Limitation of low placement numbers.

Conclusion: FLS provides rich learning environment for development of pharmacist prescribers within osteoporosis scope, enables pharmacist bone health promotion activities and raises the profile of FLSs through cascade learning to early careers pharmacists.

References: 1. https://www.rpharms.com/Portals/0/RPS%20document%20library/Open%20access/Prescribing%20Competency%20Framework/RPS%20English%20Competency%20Framework%203.pdfīver mctnrKo4YaJDh2nA8N5G3A%3d%3d (last accessed 24/3/2026). 2. https://assets.pharmacyregulation.org/files/document/standards-for-the-education-and-training-of-pharmacist-independent-prescribers-october-2022.pdf (last accessed 24/3/2026). 3. https://assets.pharmacyregulation.org/files/2024-01/Standards%20for%20the% 20initial%20education%20and%20training%20of%20pharmacists%20January%202021%20final%20v1.4.pdf (last accessed 24/3/2026). 4. https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E07000061/ (last accessed 24/3/2026).