Respiratory

This workshop will introduce pharmacy professionals to the essential clinical history taking and examination skills relating to respiratory symptoms. The workshop will be led by experienced GPs and includes clinical scenarios to help apply learning to practice. 

PLEASE NOTE: Booking a place on this workshop will trigger a booking on the Fundamentals of respiratory therapeutics e-course. To activate your e-course booking you need to go to your Learning record and click "Course access information".

If you are currently registered on the CPPE Primary care pathway, or have already completed the pathway, you do not need to attend this Respiratory clinical assessment skills workshop. The same respiratory content is covered in the respiratory and cardiovascular workshop in module three.

Learning Outcomes:

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

• describe the basic anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system
• describe the clinical signs and symptoms associated with common respiratory presentations
• apply history-taking skills in a respiratory context, including recognition of red flags
• practise performing a systematic respiratory clinical examination
• demonstrate a person-centred approach to the use of respiratory clinical assessment skills.

The aim of this e-course is to improve your knowledge and skills in respiratory therapeutics. This will enable you to provide a person-centred approach to support the healthcare of people living with respiratory disease.

To facilitate your learning, we have structured the course into eight units. Some units are larger than others, but we estimate that you will need to commit an average of three hours of learning for each unit.

• Unit 1 – Introduction to the respiratory system
• Unit 2 – Inhaler technique and nebuliser use
• Unit 3 – Common respiratory conditions
• Unit 4 – Asthma
• Unit 5 – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Unit 6 – Cystic fibrosis (CF)
• Unit 7 – Tuberculosis (TB)
• Unit 8 – Interstitial lung disease (ILD)

Learning Outcomes:

• describe and explain the core anatomy and function of the respiratory system
• describe the role of a pharmacy professional in supporting someone with respiratory disease
• identify sources of information to support people living with respiratory disease
• demonstrate a holistic, person-centred approach to the care of people living with respiratory disease
• apply safe and appropriate medicines optimisation for people with respiratory disease
• use current respiratory guidelines and standards to support evidence-based decisions around the treatment of respiratory disease.

In this e-learning programme we explore the reasons why we need to improve the way that we help people with their inhaler devices. We will look at how the devices work and why making simple changes when we are speaking to people using inhaled medicines can improve health outcomes.

Top image credit: IPCRG

Learning Outcomes:

• discuss the potential implications of sub-optimal inhaler technique
• describe the different types of inhaler devices and their instructions for use
• outline how the delivered dose is made in each type of device
• describe how inspiratory flow can affect medicine delivery for different inhalers
• describe the breathing technique required to achieve optimum inspiratory flow for each device
• describe how the environmental impact of inhalers effects prescribing decisions
• demonstrate your role in optimising inhaled medication.

This video learning (developed by Gráinne d’Ancona, consultant pharmacist for respiratory medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust) aims to increase your knowledge on the scale and consequences of medicines non-adherence in asthma. It explains what drives non-adherence, and will show you how to detect it. After watching, you should be able to implement tailored, structured interventions to support better adherence and ultimately improve patient care and outcomes.

The aim of this learning programme is to update your knowledge on the use of drugs for nebulisation in asthma and COPD and to enable you to support healthcare professionals and patients with respiratory disease to use nebulisers effectively.

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:

• list the drugs available for nebulisation in asthma and COPD
• outline the indications for nebuliser therapy in asthma and COPD
• describe the different types of nebuliser available
• advise on the use and maintenance of nebulising equipment.

This programme aims to support pharmacy professionals to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to undertake effective consultations, clinical assessment and treatment for sinusitis under the NHS Pharmacy First service.

Please note: The clinical pathways and patient group directions (PGDs) for the NHS Pharmacy First service have been updated by NHSE and the changes came into effect on the 1st October 2025. This learning programme is currently being updated to reflect these changes.

Learning Outcomes:

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

• define the common symptoms and pathophysiology of sinusitis
• describe differential diagnoses for sinusitis
• identify possible complications of sinusitis and recognise when a referral is appropriate
• discuss appropriate evidence-based treatment and self-care advice for sinusitis.

This programme aims to support pharmacy professionals to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to undertake effective consultations, clinical assessment and treatment for acute sore throat under the NHS Pharmacy First service.

Please note: The clinical pathways and patient group directions (PGDs) for the NHS Pharmacy First service have been updated by NHSE and the changes came into effect on the 1st October 2025. This learning programme is currently being updated to reflect these changes.

Learning Outcomes:

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

• define the common symptoms and pathophysiology of sore throat
• describe differential diagnoses for sore throat
• apply the FEVER-PAIN scoring system to clinical assessment of sore throat
• discuss appropriate evidence-based treatment and self-care advice for sore throat.

This programme was developed by NHS Education for Scotland to help to update your knowledge and skills on the common clinical conditions and minor ailments that may present themselves in community pharmacy. It contains practical tips and advice on how to identify, recognise and manage a wide range of common conditions.

This version of the programme has been adapted by the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) for use in England.

Learning Outcomes:

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

• recognise common clinical conditions
• describe the clinical management of common clinical conditions
• recognise red flags and points for immediate referral
• describe the key components of self-management strategies.

This e-assessment is linked with the CPPE Fundamentals of respiratory therapeutics e-learning programme and assesses you on the learning outcomes from unit 4 – Asthma within that programme.

Why should I do this assessment?

This e-assessment completes the learning you began with the asthma unit of the CPPE Fundamentals of respiratory therapeutics e-course. Access and successful completion 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 different competency frameworks that apply across your career. 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 Inhaler technique for health professionals: getting it right e-learning programme and assesses you on the learning outcomes within that programme.

Why should I do this assessment?

This e-assessment completes the learning you began with the CPPE Inhaler technique for health professionals: getting it right e-learning programme. Access and successful completion 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 different competency frameworks that apply across your career. 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.

The Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) forms part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF).

This webpage contains information and resources for the 2025/26 PQS.  From this page you will find out what is required for you and your team to meet the respiratory domain. 

The Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) is an organisation that supports all healthcare professionals to work together to support optimal holistic patient-centred care and outcomes for people living with respiratory disease. Resources, webinars & videos on respiratory related topics including Asthma, COPD, tobacco dependency, Covid-19 and inhaler devices.

This page brings together all the PrescQIPP respiratory care resources and campaign materials as well as showcase good practice examples of projects in respiratory care and signpost to self care resources available for organisations to use to support their own respiratory care campaigns.

The Greener Practice, High Quality and Low Carbon Asthma Care toolkit has been designed to support primary care improve asthma care while reducing carbon emissions. The toolkit also provides step by step support for quality improvement projects.

Evidence-based strategy document for COPD diagnosis, management, and prevention, with citations from the scientific literature.