NHS priorities

Whether it’s to prepare for the next Pharmacy Quality Scheme deadline, or to increase your confidence in helping people with a learning disability, this section provides topic-specific pages that link to current NHS priorities. This section will support you in keeping your knowledge and skills up to date in order to provide high-quality pharmacy services and be service-ready.

Public health

The public health agenda is embedded in pharmacy, yet topics such as emergency contraception or stop smoking support are as prevalent as ever. As well as our public health workshops, use this section to access a wide range of resources to assure and maintain your competence, all underpinned by the Declaration of Competence system.

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e-learning

Contraception


  • Released: 12/2015
  • Reviewed: 01/2025
  • Study time: 6h:0m

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.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) has changed its name to The College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (CoSRH). We will amend the name in our programmes during our annual review process. Guidance can be accessed on the CoSRH website.

The College of Sexual and reproductive healthcare updated the UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (UKMEC) on 5th December 2025. We are in the process of updating our learning to incorporate this.

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.

How to use this programme

You can access this e-learning programme using a web browser on any device. You will need to be connected to the internet while you work through it.

Learning intended for

  • Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy technicians
  • Trainee pharmacists
  • CPPE registrants