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.

 Antimicrobial resistance
 Care homes
 Child health
 Consultation skills (advanced)
 Consultation skills (foundation)
 COVID-19
 Culturally competent person-centred care
 Education
 Environmental sustainability
 General practice
 Genomics
 Health and Justice pharmacy (prisons and secure environments)
 Leadership
 Learning disabilities
 Management
 Medication review
 Medicines reconciliation
 NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service
 Older people
 Patient safety
 Pharmacy technicians
 Prescribing
 Remote consultations
 Repeat dispensing
 Return to practice
 Revalidation
 Safeguarding
 Sepsis
 Summary Care Records
 Transfer of care
 Urgent care

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.

 Acute coronary syndromes
 Anticoagulation
 Atrial fibrillation and arrhythmias
 Biochemistry
 Cancer
 Coronary heart disease
 Dementia
 Dermatology
 Diabetes (type 1)
 Diabetes (type 2)
 Epilepsy
 Gastrointestinal
 Glaucoma
 Gout
 Heart failure
 Hypercholesterolaemia
 Hypertension
 Infections
 Liver
 Mental health
 Minor ailments
 Musculoskeletal
 Neurology
 Osteoporosis
 Pain
 Palliative care
 Parkinson's disease
 Renal
 Respiratory
 Stroke and transient ischaemic attack
 Surgery
 Urinary incontinence and retention
 Venous thromboembolism and embolism

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.

 Alcohol
 Contraception
 Emergency hormonal contraception
 Health Checks
 Healthy Living Pharmacies
 Immunisation
 Menopause
 Oral health
 Sexual health
 Smoking
 Substance misuse
 Weight management

Learning programmes and assessments

45578
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e-learning

Prescribing in general practice


  • Study time: 3h:0m
  • Only available to GPhC members
    •
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Prescribing errors are common in general practice, occurring in around one in 20 prescriptions. This course looks at the principles which inform good prescribing and details the more common reasons for prescribing errors. Through the use of case studies, it covers the principles of choosing the right dose and timing for medications, common interactions, how to provide clear dosing instructions and how to maximise the effectiveness of a medication review.

Please note: this e-learning programme has been developed and provided by the Royal College of General Practitioners. You will be taken to the RCGP Learning website where you will need to register in order to access the learning and please note there is a fee to access the programme for non-RCGP members. 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:

  • make an evidence-based decision about prescribing
  • describe the importance of using a prescribing formulary
  • explain when to prescribe by brand instead of generically
  • list common prescribing errors
  • describe common hazardous drug interactions
  • list the principles of safe prescribing for pregnant or breast feeding women
  • explain the potential pitfalls of computer-based prescribing systems
  • explain the importance of adjusting medication doses according to individual patient characteristics
  • predict the dose of medicine required for different patient groups
  • recognise that for certain medications, timing is important, in terms of achieving maximal efficacy
  • produce clear and unambiguous dosing instructions
  • recognise common errors made when writing dosing instructions
  • list the cautionary and advisory labels added during the dispensing process
  • carry out an effective medication review and understand what issues need to be covered within it
  • use strategies to manage time issues during a medication review
  • recognise different reasons for non-adherence and be aware of how you can improve adherence rates
  • list the medication reviews offered at community pharmacies.

How to use this programme

On your computer: You can access this e-learning programme through your web browser on your computer. You will need to be connected to the internet while you work through it. You may be taken to another website to complete this programme.

On your tablet device: To access this programme on a mobile device or tablet you may need to download the free Articulate app or you can access this programme through your web browser. If you access this programme on a device with a smaller screen, functionality may be reduced.

Learning intended for

  • Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy technicians
  • Trainee pharmacists