PROGRAMMES

Pharmacy Training

What's happening

Opportunities and Training

Accuracy checking pharmacy technician (ACPT) programme

Are you, or do you employ, a pharmacy technician who would like to broaden their skills to undertake final accuracy checks of dispensed items?

The programme aims to support pharmacy technicians to:

  • develop the skills required to be a safe competent and confident final accuracy checking pharmacy technician
  • improve leadership and communication skills
  • direct the dispensary team
  • increase the pharmacy team’s capacity to deliver patient-facing services.

The total cost for a place on the course is £330 inclusive of VAT. This payment can be self-funded or employer financed.

To find out more, including entry criteria and how to apply, visit: www.cppe.ac.uk/career/acpt 

Clinical Examination Skills Training for Community Pharmacists  

Health Education England are pleased to announce new, fully funded, NHS clinical examination skills training for community pharmacists.

This new offer will build on community pharmacists’ existing clinical examination and consultation skills – to assess, treat and manage common health problems.

10,000 module places will be available until March 2024.

Following completion of a pre-required, online gateway module on history taking and identification of serious conditions, pharmacists can choose their preferred journey through four optional modules, based on professional interests. These modules cover four key themes: dermatology, cardiology, paediatrics, and ear, nose and throat.

The module content will be delivered online using a flexible and responsive eLearning system, with optional face-to-face attendance for pharmacists who would find this beneficial. Pharmacists can complete the training at a pace and time of their choice. Face-to-face workshops will be scheduled to accommodate pharmacist working patterns.

The training is designed to be complementary to independent prescribing training and can be completed prior to or after independent prescribing training courses. 

This offer is available to community pharmacists, including part time staff and locums working in community pharmacy.

To register and find out more about the training visit the CliniSkills website.

To find out more about the Pharmacy Integration Programme, visit the NHS England website.

CPPE

CPPE are suggesting to learners to utilise the e-learning resources below

More information on Independent-prescribing and the Policy on IP timing and studying two training programmes at the same time. 

Sign up to the CPPE waiting list for booking alerts.

More CPPE resources here!

You can find information about it on the CPPE website. Its aim is to help pharmacists prepare an application and prepare 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. 

Please contact [email protected] or [email protected] if you have any questions.

Extended until March 2025, the CPPE Community pharmacy technician: advancing your role is a fully funded learning programme designed to help community pharmacy technicians develop the skills and confidence to support the delivery of effective clinical services in community pharmacy.  It guides pharmacy technicians to reflect upon their existing transferable skills and identify development needs to support the readiness for advancing their role in practice to support service delivery.
 
For full information, please visit:
 

Educational supervisor training for pharmacy workforce

ProPharmace are pleased to offer two fully funded, free to access Supervisor training programmes for those supervising the pharmacy workforce. 

ProPharmace are pleased to offer two fully funded, free to access Supervisor training programmes for those supervising the pharmacy workforce. These programmes will ensure those involved in educational supervision, are confident to provide support and developmental aid to the pharmacy workforce.

  • Training for Educational Supervisors including Designated Supervisors (DS)

Both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can apply for the educational supervisor training.

  • Training for Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPP)

Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPP) supporting supervision of learners in the pharmacy workforce.

Visit the ProPharmace website to register

Implementing the Foundation Pharmacist training info

Pharmacy First

Pharmacy First is here – build your pharmacy future with fully funded, flexible training tailored to your skills, experience and individual learning requirements.  Learn new skills, support peer development and expand your clinical knowledge.

Courses include:

  • Advancing your role for Community Pharmacy Technicians 
  • Educational Supervisor Training for Community Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians.

Find out more and apply now 

Pharmacy Leads Programme - North West Leadership Academy (NWLA)

Three-Part Programme -Please complete this survey to express an interest in future cohorts of this programme. 

Trainee Pharmacist Foundation Training Year

Following recent changes to the MPharm course, from 2026 all newly registered pharmacists will enter the register with the training, skills and confidence to provide a range of clinical care to patients, including prescribing of medicines.

MPharm students must complete 4 years of undergraduate study and then complete the foundation training year (including passing the GPhC exam) to register as a pharmacist. Currently, upon registering, pharmacists are not able to prescribe medication and must undertake additional qualifications to do so. From 2026, the newly qualified pharmacists will register as prescribers.
 
To develop their competencies accordingly, NHS England is working to develop the foundation training year. One of the changes will be to introduce consistent funding to all training providers. The funding is available for a trainee pharmacist for the 2025/26 foundation training year. 

For further information, please see the attached document with FAQs or contact

 [email protected] 

Community Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship Programme

NHSE are excited to announce the launch of the Community Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship Programme.

This programme will support Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians (PTPTs) to be employed and complete their full 24-month apprenticeship training within a community pharmacy setting. Upon completion of training and registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) this will support community pharmacy to utilise the expertise and knowledge of registered pharmacy technicians as part of pharmacy services and wider reform.

The programme aims to support pharmacy technicians to:

  • develop the skills required to be a safe competent and confident final accuracy checking pharmacy technician
  • improve leadership and communication skills
  • direct the dispensary team
  • increase the pharmacy team’s capacity to deliver patient-facing services.

The total cost for a place on the course is £330 inclusive of VAT. This payment can be self-funded or employer financed.

To find out more, including entry criteria and how to apply, visit: www.cppe.ac.uk/career/acpt