Mentoring Scheme

Introduction

NAWP offers a small-scale mentoring scheme for pharmacists (women or men), primarily designed to help those returning to, or moving to, community practice. This evolved from a pilot scheme first launched in 1999 and was designed to be of particular value to those who want to: change from one branch of the profession to another; go into business on their own; return to practice; go into pharmacy or healthcare politics; retire from full time work; or just get out of a rut. The critical characteristic would be a wish to develop their professional life.

The concept of rnentoring has been implemented by many commercial organisations, by parts of the NHS, by local educational authorities, by trades unions, by some universities, by some learned societies and by very many other bodies.

The main aim of the NAWP scheme is to form a framework within which mentors can help mentees to develop their professional lives. The mentor will help the mentee with issues related to their development within the profession of pharmacy, and as pharmacists in the outside world.

The scheme is distinct from schemes for pre-registration students, professional development schemes, and schemes for pharmacists in distress. It is confidential, and no information is relayed to third parties. It is a mentoring scheme of the ‘buddy’ type, and does not provide counseling or training for mentees.

Mentors are offered from a list of experienced pharmacists. Currently, these are drawn from community, from across the UK.

The cost of joining the scheme is nothing – but ’mentees’ (women or men) must join NAWP on entering the scheme and would enjoy full NAWP membership.

Contact between mentor and mentee will primarily be by telephone, electronic means or even post; probably once or twice per month for about one year.

Any pharmacist wishing to know more about the scheme should contact Dr Christine Heading on: enquiries@nawp.org.uk