CPPE development opportunities

Community pharmacy technician: advancing your role.

The programme aims to free up community pharmacists’ capacity by developing the knowledge, clinical skills and behaviours of pharmacy technicians working in community pharmacy to increase patient access to clinical services, by widening the skill mix in community pharmacy teams.

This programme has been launched in collaboration with the Pharmacy Integration Programme at NHS England. The fully funded learning programme is designed to help community pharmacy technicians develop the skills and confidence to deliver effective clinical services in community pharmacy. Pharmacy technicians who currently work in community pharmacy and are looking to upskill themselves to develop their roles in practice can apply to take part.

For further information about the programme and how to apply, visit: www.cppe.ac.uk/career/pt-ayr/pt-advancing

• CPPE Accuracy checking pharmacy technician programme.

NHS England has funded CPPE to offer the Accuracy checking pharmacy technician (ACPT) programme to pharmacy technicians working in England, from any sector, who provide NHS services.. A total of 60 funded places are available from 1 August 2023. NHS England funding will end when all 60 places have been allocated or by the end of March 2024. Up to 20 funded places will be available per month, and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please spread the word so contractors can take advantage of this funding and this opportunity to upskill your pharmacy support team. For more information, including further eligibility criteria, please visit: www.cppe.ac.uk/career/acpt

• Preparing to train as an independent prescriber. This programme aims to build the confidence and competence of pharmacists who are planning to apply and train as independent prescribers and is open to pharmacists from all sectors of practice, including community pharmacists who are planning to commence their independent prescriber training with a Higher Education Institute (HEI). Its aim is to help pharmacists prepare an application and prepare themselves for prescribing training by helping them to understand what it means to be a prescriber, considerations when choosing a course, how they can demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills and plan for the study and supervised practice requirements of the course. Preparing to train as an independent prescriber is scheduled to launch on 12th September 2023. For more information, including further eligibility criteria, please visit: www.cppe.ac.uk/career/preparingtotrainip

• Fundamentals of cardiovascular therapeutics e-course and e-assessment is now live on the CPPE website. The NHS Long Term Plan identifies cardiovascular disease as a clinical priority and the single biggest condition where lives can be saved by the NHS over the ten-year period 2019 to 2029. The aim of this e-course is to develop pharmacy professionals’ knowledge and skills in cardiovascular therapeutics. The course will enable learners to provide a person-centred approach to support the healthcare of people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. It is designed for pharmacy professionals working in all areas of practice.

The course is comprised of seven units (each approximately three hours of learning):

• Unit 1 – Introduction to cardiovascular therapeutics
• Unit 2 – Atrial fibrillation
• Unit 3 – Blood pressure
• Unit 4 – Cholesterol
• Unit 5 – Stable angina
• Unit 6 – Acute coronary syndrome
• Unit 7 – Heart failure

We have included a range of videos, activities, case studies and scenarios to support pharmacy professionals to apply their learning to everyday practice. The course and associated assessment can be accessed by clicking the link below:

e-course: www.cppe.ac.uk/programmes/l/cardio-ec-01

e-assessment: www.cppe.ac.uk/programmes/l/cardio-a-01

Please share with your contractors. Note: the training programme is also suitable and available for pharmacy technicians and may provide further learning to help with the ongoing delivery of clinical services.