Foundation Trainee Pharmacist National Recruitment Scheme 2026
Participating in Foundation Trainee Pharmacist National Recruitment Scheme 2026 (for the 2027 intake) via Oriel
We are writing to invite you to recruit a foundation trainee pharmacist(s) for the 2027-28 foundation training year, via the NHS England 2026 Foundation Trainee Pharmacist National Recruitment Scheme (NRS).
The NRS is the only route to employing a trainee pharmacist and employers are unable to recruit trainees directly.
Please note: Registering with the NRS is not an Expression of Interest. If you register with the scheme you are making a commitment for NHS England to recruit a foundation trainee pharmacist(s) on your behalf. Please consider this carefully before registering with the scheme.
Significant changes have been implemented from the 2025-26 foundation training year onwards, in line with the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists (IETP) reform programme mandated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Full details of the IETP reforms programme, can be found here.
If you wish to recruit a foundation trainee pharmacist for the 2027-28 foundation training year, please follow the steps below.
Employer Guidance
Step 1: Update Your Knowledge
Please read the comprehensive Employer Handbook, which has been developed to support employers who wish to employ a foundation trainee pharmacist.
You may also find it helpful to see information submitted by employers who registered with the NRS in 2025 by viewing the ‘Pharmacy Employers and Programme Information from 2025’ document available on the employer information and FAQ page.
It is important that potential employers carefully read the Terms of Participation of the NRS and NHS England’s Quality Framework as reading and agreeing to these are part of the registration process.
Participating in the NRS does not guarantee that NHS England will be able to recruit you a trainee pharmacist, as historically there have been more training places available within the scheme than applicants to fill them.
Step 2: Register with the National Recruitment Scheme
If you wish to be part of the 2026 NRS for the 2027-28 foundation training year, you must register via the online form.
Before submitting a registration form we strongly advise you to read the employer handbook, paying particular attention to our advice on writing programme description(s), as this is the main opportunity to promote a foundation training programme(s) to applicants and the ‘How to guide for completing employer registration’. Both are available on the employer registration webpage.
Once a registration from has been submitted, an email will be received from [email protected] with a copy of your submission. Please check your email account, including junk mail folder, for this confirmation of your registration submission.
If you intend to submit multiple registration forms for multiple programmes (one form needs to be completed per foundation programme), it is advisable to keep a track of the programmes you have submitted to avoid duplication and to ensure you do not submit a programme which you do not plan to recruit to.
Deadline for Registration
The deadline to submit a registration form is midday on Tuesday 3 March 2026
Please not late submissions will not be accepted.
Registration opened on Thursday 8 January. To sign up to the scheme, please visit the web page here.
Check your email account, including junk mail folder for confirmation of your on-line registration submission from [email protected]
If you have questions about the registration process, the NRS or the 2027-28 foundation training year, please see the information below about employer drop-in sessions.
London Employer Drop-in Sessions to support registration with the 2026 NRS
We will be holding on-line drop-in sessions throughout January and February aimed at providing employers/potential employers across London with the opportunity to ask questions about registration with the NRS and the 2027-28 foundation training year. Our team will be available on the below dates to answer any questions you may have.
| Date | Time | Session | Joining Link |
| 13 January | 13.00-13.45 | London NRS 2026 Employer Drop-in Session 1 | Join the meeting now |
| 22 January | 13.00-13.45 | London NRS 2026 Employer Drop-in Session 2 | Join the meeting now |
| 28 January | 13.00-13.45 | London NRS 2026 Employer Drop-in Session 3 | Join the meeting now |
| 3 February | 13.00-13.45 | London NRS 2026 Employer Drop-in Session 4 | Join the meeting now |
| 11 February | 13.00-13.45 | London NRS 2026 Employer Drop-in Session 5 | Join the meeting now |
| 19 February | 13.00-13.45 | London NRS 2026 Employer Drop-in Session 6 | Join the meeting now |
| 24 February | 13.00-13.45 | London NRS 2026 Employer Drop-in Session 7 | Join the meeting now |
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require further assistance, and you are unable to attend one of our employer drop-in session.