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

NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service: essential skills


  • Released: 08/2020
  • Reviewed: 12/2022
  • Study time: 16h:15m
  • Start date: 27/01/2023

This workshop and e-course are undergoing a significant update as part of our programme guardian process and we plan to have them running again from late January 2024.

The aim of this programme is to support pharmacists to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to undertake effective consultations, communications and clinical assessments in order to provide the NHS community pharmacist consultation service (NHS CPCS).

This workshop is part of a programme made up of two components, you must complete both to meet the learning objectives below. This means that you need to ensure that you work through materials in the associated self-directed e-course ahead of attending the online workshop. For more information see the details at https://www.cppe.ac.uk/services/cpcs

If you have previously attended a face-to-face NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation service or DMIRs event you will not be able to book this online event.

#NHSCPCS

Learning outcomes

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

  • describe the clinical history taking process
  • apply tools and techniques to demonstrate a structured person-centred approach to clinical history taking
  • apply evidence-based practice and relevant guidance to support clinical reasoning and engage the person in shared decision making, such as NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries
  • identify presenting red flags in the consultation to enable safe, effective, “warm” clinical transfer of the individual
  • demonstrate a safe and effective closure to the consultation including safety netting, signposting and referral when necessary
  • apply the principles of hygiene and hand washing in a clinical setting
  • describe a range of clinical examination skills
  • interpret and apply clinical assessment test results and findings to aid clinical diagnosis and decisions
  • practice a holistic approach to the care of individuals by promoting self-care and prevention measures in the consultation
  • complete an accurate and concise clinical record to support data sharing across healthcare settings and transfer of care.

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
  • Trainee pharmacists