Contraception

This e-learning programme aims to equip you with the up-to-date skills and knowledge that you need to confidently support and advise patients who use or might use contraception. It contributes to the completion of your Declaration of Competence to provide oral contraception and emergency contraception services. 

CPPE also has learning programmes on emergency contraception and sexual health:

- Emegency contraception
- Sexual health

Please note: The FSRH Guideline Emergency Contraception have agreed a recommendation that there is no need to avoid breastfeeding after taking a single dose of UPA-EC. See FSRH Statement: Ulipristal Acetate and Breastfeeding (Jan 2025) | FSRH for further detail. We will amend this programme to reflect this in our next scheduled update.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• describe how to ensure a patient-centred approach when providing contraception advice and services
• describe the different types and methods of contraception and their use, risks and benefits
• identify and use key current reference sources to maintain up-to-date knowledge about different forms of contraception
• confidently deal with common issues encountered when providing effective contraception advice and services
• use evidence-based judgement to decide when to refer a patient and identify patients who require other contraception services.

This programme supports pharmacy professionals selling the desogestrel progestogen-only pill over the counter. This one-hour e-learning covers key messages about long-acting reversible contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted infections, as well as factors that may be important to people.

Learning Outcomes:

• describe circumstances when desogestrel progestogen-only pills can be sold over the counter
• explain key information to share with the person when supplying desogestrel progestogen-only pills
• demonstrate a person-centred approach by applying your knowledge to a case study.

The aim of this programme is to enable you to provide evidence-based information to patients seeking contraception.

Please note: this e-learning programme has been developed and provided by the Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development (NICPLD). Users should recognise that this programme will refer to Northern Ireland's policies and organisations. After ordering this programme, you will be redirected to their website where the resource is hosted. Please be aware that CPPE does not maintain control over the accuracy and currency of this programme.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• describe the menstrual cycle
• list the types of contraception currently available, along with associated benefits and risks
• detail significant interactions with contraceptives and other medication
• explain the principles of natural family planning
• appreciate the role of the pharmacist in assisting patients with contraceptive choices.

This e-assessment is linked with the practice standards for consultation skills and the CPPE consultation skills learning programmes.

Why should I do this assessment?

Access and successful completion of this assessment will contribute to your own personal development plan, be recorded in your My CPPE record and will enable you to complete a CPD entry on the learning. It may also provide evidence for achieving competencies in the RPS Foundation or Advanced Pharmacy Frameworks. If you are working towards completing a Declaration of Competence for a pharmacy service, successful completion of this assessment will provide evidence of your learning.

This e-assessment is linked with the CPPE Contraception learning programme and assesses you on the learning outcomes within that programme.

Why should I do this assessment?

NICE Quality standard (QS129) Contraception

NICE Public health guidance (PH51) Contraceptive services for under 25s

Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists homepage

Public Health England: Sexual and reproductive health profiles

British Association for Sexual Health and HIV homepage

The aim of this programme is to support you in shared decision making with people who are starting, restarting or changing contraception within the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS). The learning contains information on how to reach a shared decision on an appropriate formulation of contraception provided with the person using this service. 

Scenarios based on those encountered in practice enable community pharmacy professionals to gain experience in the communication skills that they need to initiate contraception, within a safe learning environment.

Book a place on the post-workshop panel discussion webinar: NHS Pharmacy Contraception service (PCS) - panel discussion : CPPE

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• apply appropriate person-centred consultation skills to enable an effective medical history to be taken
• explore the suitability of oral contraception for people who access the service in accordance with their individual needs and in line with the service specification and patient group directions (PGDs)
• discuss information and guidance regarding contraception options to allow the person to make an informed choice on an appropriate contraceptive for them
• provide information on long-acting reversible contraceptives and discuss their advantages, side effects and suitability for people using this service
• support people to explore their concerns or side effects linked to contraception and be able to discuss alternative options.