Pharmacy Technician

Course commences in September 2024.

Enrolment Procedure

Step 1:
Applicants must apply online at www.bife.ie.

Step 2:
In some cases, applicants may be invited to attend for interview at the Institute. Applicants will be selected on suitability and a first come/first served basis. You should bring the following to the interview:
• A copy of Leaving Certificate results (if applicable)
• A brief Curriculum Vitae
• A Portfolio of Work (where necessary)
• References (where necessary)

Step 3:
Successful applicants will be offered a place by post, subject to them achieving the basic entry requirements laid out in the prospectus/website and must secure their place by paying an acceptance fee of €50. All fees must be paid by Friday 30th August 2024. The €50 acceptance fee is non refundable. All other fees will be refunded if the applicant subsequently decides not to take their place before Friday 27th September 2024. Failure to pay the relevant fees may result in a lapse of your offer. All candidates who accept an offer agree to abide by the policies and procedures of the Institute.

Step 4:
All learners must register at the Institute or on-line by the designated registration date.

International Applicants
The Institute welcomes applications from International Learners. Non EA applicants (applicants outside the European Area, i.e. outside EU & Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) must comply with Irish immigration requirements. Such applicants will have to secure a visa from the Immigration Section of the Department of Justice. As all courses are delivered in English, International students will be required to provide a certified qualification of proficiency in English where English is not the applicants first language.

Non-EU students will be required to pay the economic cost of the course as determined by the Department of Education.

International applicants should apply directly to the Institute office for further information.

Mature students are welcome to apply.

Fees
Courses at Bray Institute of Further Education are funded largely by the European Social Fund. Tuition costs are covered for Irish or EU citizens undertaking PLC courses. There is no application fee, however all learners are required to pay the following:

• An Acceptance Fee of €50, to be paid when offered a place on a course.
• A Resource contribution fee of €150 for learner services*, paid annually.

There is also a cost of registration with professional bodies for a small number of courses such as Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI).

*Resource fees are used as a general fund to provide learner resources for PLC courses including library services

Apply here

Fees

Maintenance Grant
Learners on full-time approved courses at the Institute are entitled to apply for Maintenance Grants. The Grant is means tested. Learners should apply to SUSI, the online grant application system, through www.studentfinance.ie.
Learners in receipt of the maintenance grant must pay all the usual costs of the course.

Back to Education Initiative & VTOS
The Department of Social Welfare and The Department of Education and Skills administer these two schemes. In 2024, these schemes will become fully integrated into the college. These schemes offer unemployed adults an opportunity to return to full-time education while retaining their full social welfare entitlements and in some cases to receive extra benefits. Payments from DEASP normally establish eligibility. Previous educational level can also contribute.
To check your eligibility log onto www.studentfinance.ie or talk to the VTOS Co-ordinator. Some extra benefits may apply.

Yes

You can only apply online on the BIFE website by clicking on the "Apply Now 2024/2025" button at the top of any page on the college website Or
Click on the Application Weblink above.

Applications usually begin in mid December of the proceeding year of application. Early applications are always advisable to avoid classes filling up and increase your chances of getting a position.

Students will gain experience in dispensing procedures and practices and be able to interpret prescriptions and prepare medicines for dispensing. They will be able to maintain patient records and operate pharmacy computer systems. They will also be able to supply non-prescription medicines in accordance with legislation and guidelines.

Programme of Study
• Provide an effective and responsive pharmacy service
• Process pharmaceutical queries
• Ensure your own actions reduce risks to healthy and safety
• Reflect on and develop your practice
• Receive prescription from individuals
• Confirm prescription validity
• Assemble prescribed items
• Issue prescribed items
• Prepare extemporaneous medicines for individual use
• Order pharmaceutical stock
• Receive pharmaceutical stock
• Maintain pharmaceutical stock
• Issue pharmaceutical stock
• Undertake an in-process accuracy check of assembled prescribed items, prior to the final accuracy check
• Provide advice on symptoms and actions and uses of medicines
• Provide an effective service in a setting outside the pharmacy
• Enable learning through demonstrations and instructions

Components subject to change

Certification:
Pearson BTEC Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians Level 5 equivalence on the NFQ

Head of Department:
Laura Cullen

Course Co-ordinator:
Laura Cullen

Bray Institute of Further Education,
Tel: 01 282 9668
Email: bifeenquiries@kwetb.ie
Web: www.bife.ie