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.

Clinical pharmacy

Our clinical portfolio is expanding on a frequent basis, helping you to advance your knowledge and skills and deliver medicines optimisation in practice for all sectors of pharmacy. From two new focal points a year to our small group learning for hospital pharmacists – Optimise – this section focuses on clinical pharmacy, diseases and therapeutics.

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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online workshop

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and covert administration of medicines


  • Released: 04/2020
  • Reviewed: 08/2023
  • Study time: 6h:15m

The aim of this e-workshop is to develop your knowledge and skills to help you manage and optimise care for patients who might lack mental capacity to make a specific decision relating to their medicines at a given point in time.

#CPPEmentalhealth

Learning outcomes

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

  • summarise the legal framework and professional standards surrounding the Mental Capacity Act 2005
  • describe the important role of pharmacy professionals within the multidisciplinary team in ensuring the appropriate application and ongoing assessment of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its purpose in the use of medicines
  • identify situations in which pharmacy professionals might encounter issues concerning mental capacity during their practice, including appropriate use of covert administration of medicines and what issues to consider when making recommendations
  • identify suitable sources of information for understanding the assessment and ongoing management of mental capacity and covert administration of medicines
  • develop a working knowledge of the content and purpose of policies and procedures which relate to the management of medicines for patients suspected of lacking mental capacity
  • recognise the situations which require referrals to other healthcare professionals.

How to use this programme

We deliver our online workshops using Zoom. You will have received a separate email (from the lead tutor via Zoom) with a unique link to join this Zoom event. Please do not share this link with others. The email allows you to add the event to your calendar of choice. If you do this it will save the link for you too. You can also find a copy of your link on the CPPE website in your pending bookings.
Please note:

  • You will need to be connected to the internet for the duration of the online workshop.
  • To get the most from this workshop we recommend that you use a laptop or desktop computer.
  • You will be asked to put your camera on and unmute yourself for some or all of the event.
  • This event must not be undertaken while travelling, or in a public place.
  • We expect you to prepare for our events by completing all pre-workshop activities. Details of these will be emailed to you by the lead tutor or can be found via your pending bookings.

If for any reason you cannot attend the event, you must cancel your place via your Pending bookings on the CPPE website. Failure to do this may result in a cancellation fee and restrictions being placed on your CPPE account.

Watch a video explaining what to expect from our online learning programmes

Learning intended for

  • Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy technicians
  • Trainee pharmacists