Community Pharmacy Devon Weekly Dose 💊

Thursday 12th February 2026

Welcome to your weekly injection of local and national pharmacy news. As always, if you have any feedback or comments, please contact us by email at admin@cpdevon.org.uk.

Devon & Cornwall Teach & Treat: Call for Expressions of Interest

For community pharmacists looking to become prescribers we are delighted to let you know that Devon and Cornwall have been successful in their bid for the National NHSE Teach & Treat (T&T) programme. Appropriate access to and capacity of supervision to support pharmacists to become independent prescribers is a challenge across the workforce, and particularly within community pharmacy. The aim of the Devon & Cornwall Teach & Treat programme is to support community pharmacists from across the two counties to achieve their independent prescribing qualification by providing access to suitable supervisors and clinical environments.

We are inviting Expressions of Interest from community pharmacists who wish to undertake their independent prescribing qualification from September 2026 with the support of the Devon & Cornwall Teach & Treat programme.

Closing date: 8th March 2026 18:00

We expect high demand, so with limited places available, submit your expression of interest HERE.

Please share this to your professional networks, forums and communication channels to ensure no one misses out on this opportunity!

Stress Management & Building Resilience Webinar - 26th February

This free online workshop provides tips to enhance wellbeing and looks at how to build resilience. As well as covering the science behind stress and anxiety and its effects, this workshop provides an insight into how mindset can impact wellbeing. It provides techniques for dealing with feelings of pressure including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and encourages participants to identify and build on strengths and explain the advantages of positive thinking and self-reflection, in addition to providing tips to enhance resilience and wellbeing. Sign up here.

Pharmacy First

Based on feedback from pharmacists, practices and primary care networks, here are a few quick reminders!

Pharmacy First isn't only supplying a medication under a PGD. The minor ailments element of Pharmacy First (formerly CPCS) still exists. Patients can be referred by a GP practice for any of the seven clinical pathways or any of the minor illnesses that would have previously been covered by GP CPCS. Eg. an adult with an earache could be provided with self-care advice, safety-netting or escalation to the GP. ❗Please note there is NO inappropriate minor illness referral.❗

Know your clinical pathways. Remember that you can still claim on some of the pathways if you have worked through the gateway but haven't issued a medication under a PGD. It is particularly worth revisiting the clinical pathways for UTI, acute sinusitis and acute otitis media.

The free text boxes on PharmOutcomes have to be completed. This is important as they contain the key information about your consultation with the patient that the practice need to know. If these free text boxes are not completed, the summaries sent back contain practically no useful information.

Be aware of NHS choices regarding when a patient needs to see a GP and talk to your local practices about the services they offer. For example with the management of warts and verrucae, there is clear guidance on NHS choices on whether to go to the pharmacy for advice/treatment, or when to refer to a GP. The guidance also mentions that a GP may freeze, but less surgeries offer this now and instead send the patient to buy a product from a pharmacy.

Some practices will be ramping up their referrals – if you are unable to support the referral coming into your pharmacy remember that it is your responsibility to refer to another pharmacy. Also if you have any questions in relation to this please contact the office admin@cpdevon.org.uk

The Bath Clinical Pharmacy Courses

The Bath Clinical Pharmacy courses are currently recruiting for the Spring 2026 intakes. Available courses include:

CPD units in CV Therapeutics, Neurology, Polypharmacy, Critical Care, and Research Methods
PGCert/Dip Clinical Pharmacy Practice (Primary Care or Secondary Care)
MSc Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice (accredited by NHSE's Centre for Advancing Practice)

Applications are open, and the deadline is 9am on 27 February 2026. Please see here for further information.

⚠️Pharmacies Urged to be Alert to GDPR-Themed Scam Emails

Community Pharmacy England is aware of a recent increase in scam emails being sent to community pharmacies. Some of these messages falsely claim that the pharmacy is under investigation for a data protection or GDPR compliance breach.

These emails can appear convincing at first glance. However, they often feature significant warning signs and should be deleted without responding. Please click here to learn about typical features of the scam, what to do when suspicious of an email and more.