Upskilling Solutions for Primary Care Network Pharmacy Staff

• 23rd June 2025

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Effective PCN pharmacy training is crucial for building confident, skilled, and resilient pharmacy teams in general practice and primary care networks. With NHS priorities shifting and the demands on pharmacy staff rising, regular pharmacy staff development ensures teams can adapt quickly, deliver high standards of care, and meet local and national targets. This article examines why structured training for PCN pharmacy staff is essential, which skills to prioritise, and how the right support leads to improved outcomes for practices, patients, and the workforce.

• Why Ongoing Training Is Essential for PCN Pharmacy Teams
• Key Training Needs for PCN Pharmacy Staff
• How CPS Delivers Training and Development Solutions
• Real-World Impact: Benefits for PCNs and Practices

Key Takeaways:

• Targeted PCN pharmacy training helps pharmacy staff stay up to date with NHS priorities and local service needs.
• Ongoing pharmacy staff development improves retention, confidence, and patient safety.
• Investing in training for PCN pharmacy staff builds stronger, more adaptable pharmacy teams.

Why Ongoing Training Is Essential for PCN Pharmacy Teams

Ongoing pharmacy workforce training is vital as NHS primary care evolves rapidly and PCNs face growing clinical and operational pressures. With the rollout of ARRS and new models of care, developing pharmacy staff is no longer optional but essential for delivering safe and effective services.

Key reasons to prioritise PCN pharmacy staff CPD:

• Supports rapid induction of new team members in line with ARRS requirements
• Ensures pharmacy professionals stay current with NHS policy, guidelines, and digital tools
• Builds multi-skilled teams capable of covering a wider range of clinical and administrative duties
• Helps retain and motivate staff through clear professional development opportunities
• Keeps practices and PCNs compliant with quality, safety, and governance standards

Regular PCN pharmacy staff CPD means pharmacy teams are ready to adapt, deliver, and thrive in a changing NHS.

Key Training Needs for PCN Pharmacy Staff

Modern pharmacy teams need a wide range of knowledge and skills to succeed in general practice. The most effective training programmes combine clinical pharmacist training and pharmacy technician training with tailored support for each role.

Essential training areas include:

• Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) and medication optimisation
• Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) targets and data collection
• Safe use of digital tools and NHS IT systems for prescribing, monitoring, and reporting
• Primary care pharmacy education on clinical governance, audit, and patient safety
• Patient communication and medicines counselling skills
• Comprehensive PCN pharmacy induction for new starters, covering local protocols and multidisciplinary team working

Addressing these needs ensures pharmacy staff are confident, capable, and ready to deliver high-quality care from day one.

How CPS Delivers Training and Development Solutions

Core Prescribing Solutions offers structured, flexible CPS pharmacy training solutions tailored to the needs of Primary Care Networks (PCNs), practices, and federations. Our approach to training pharmacy professionals combines national NHS priorities with local service requirements, ensuring every team member gets the right support at the right time.

How CPS supports pharmacy upskilling solutions and learning:

• Comprehensive induction for new starters (where applicable), covering IT, protocols, and workflow
• Ongoing CPD and regular skills updates (where applicable),  to match ARRS and NHS demands
• E-learning and in-person workshops for SMRs, QOF, governance, and digital tools (where applicable),
• Customisable PCN pharmacy learning programmes for pharmacists and technicians at every stage of their career (where applicable),

This investment in training ensures pharmacy teams are confident, resilient, and equipped to deliver excellent care in any NHS setting.

Real-World Impact: Benefits for PCNs and Practices

Investing in structured staff development for pharmacies has a measurable impact on the effectiveness and stability of PCN pharmacy teams. Targeted PCN pharmacy training directly supports patient care, practice performance, and long-term workforce planning.

Key benefits of regular pharmacy workforce training include:

• Improved retention and job satisfaction among pharmacy professionals
• Higher service quality and patient safety across general practice
• Greater confidence and autonomy for staff tackling new clinical responsibilities
• Better audit, QOF, and contract performance through up-to-date skills
• A resilient, future-proof workforce ready to handle evolving NHS priorities

Making pharmacy workforce training a core part of your PCN or practice strategy pays dividends for teams, patients, and the wider healthcare system.

“Regular, structured training doesn’t just develop individual skills it builds resilient teams, boosts morale, and ensures practices can deliver safe, high-quality care in an ever-changing NHS landscape. Investing in your pharmacy workforce is investing in better patient outcomes.”

Adeem Azhar: Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Core Prescribing Solutions

Frequently Asked Questions