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.

Back to programme listings

e-learning

Pain: Part 3 - Analgesics


  • Study time: 3h:0m
  • Only available to GPhC members

The aim of this programme is to provide healthcare professionals with a better understanding of the pharmacological properties of the main analgesic drug groups and other pain treatments used in clinical practice.

It is part of a suite of four courses that delve into the topic of pain. Although you can complete the Pain suite in any order, we suggest taking the courses in the following order:

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 pharmacological properties of the main types of analgesics used in the management of different types of pain
  • discuss the use of adjuvant analgesics in pain management
  • understand how to manage the risks and potential harms associated with opioids
  • recognise the signs of opioid tolerance, dependence, toxicity, withdrawal and other harms
  • explain the main safety considerations for different types of analgesics.

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