Minor Ailments Services Pharmacy Technicians a leading role. Module 1: Introduction to Minor Ailments Services

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1 Minor Ailments Services Pharmacy Technicians a leading role Module 1: Introduction to Minor Ailments Services This is the first in the series of five modules that make up the CPPE open learning programme on minor ailments services and the leading roles for pharmacy technicians (modules one to four are booklets and module five is on line at We suggest that you work through the modules in the order one through to five. We think that this will deliver the most effective learning. This module is likely to take you around 1hour depending on your learning style. This module introduces the full open learning programme, explaining how to use the programme and telling you about some study strategies you may find helpful. You will also learn more about continuing professional development (CPD) and how to apply the CPD cycle to this learning programme. This information will apply to all five modules of the programme. In this introductory module you will start with the basics: What is a minor ailment? What are minor ailments services? You will talk with your pharmacy team and reflect on the service you provide, thinking about how you could improve this and ensure you provide a professional service. The remaining modules will deliver the learning you need to improve and develop minor ailments services in your pharmacy. Enjoy your learning! Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role 1

2 Introduction Welcome to the CPPE pharmacy technician open learning programme on minor ailments services. This programme has been developed: In response to you asking for it. You told us you wanted to develop your roles in minor ailments services. The learning in this programme will help you to do this. To explain Department of Health policy changes in the NHS Improvement Plan: "Putting people at the heart of public services" and the change in emphasis from reactive treatment towards illness prevention and self care PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAnd GuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID= &chk= i6lsym To support new community pharmacy contract changes and enable you to be an integral part of those changes. The old contract focused on dispensing large volumes of prescriptions rather than quality and accessibility. It did not support the pharmacists role in reducing the dispensing of unnecessary prescriptions or providing advice to patients. The new contract enables the community pharmacy team to contribute to four main areas of government policy and patient care which includes self care. The new contract also aims to reward the provision of high quality services and ensure that the skills of all pharmacy staff are used to their full potential. You can play a key part in your role as a professional pharmacy technician. 2 Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role

3 Introduction Aims of the Learning Programme This learning programme considers a wide range of issues relating to the role of the pharmacy technician in planning and leading minor ailments services. It uses a simple service improvement cycle to enable you to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to determine the services that your pharmacy could offer. This will enable you to undertake enhanced service planning as part of the new pharmacy contract. Throughout we focus on the professionalism of the pharmacy technician and the value of working as part of the pharmacy team. IMPORTANT LEARNING NOTE: This programme is NOT a guide to the clinical management of minor ailments. It will not deliver learning about managing individual minor ailments. There are many other NVQ level 2 programmes that deliver this learning and Module 5 of the programme (which is available to download on-line at by following the links for pharmacy technicians) will provide some clinical signposts for you to support your own learning and the learning of your trainees. Module 5 will signpost to some of the NVQ level 2 programmes. If you are looking simply to learn about treatment of minor ailments then this programme is not suitable for you. Come back to this programme when you are ready to undertake your learning and develop your role and become a leader of minor ailments services in your pharmacy. Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role 3

4 Introduction Learning Outcomes Each module has specific learning outcomes. Together the modules deliver the programme aims. On completion of each module you will be able to: Module 1 Define "minor ailment" Describe what is meant by the term minor ailments services Be able to list at least 10 minor ailments that may present to you in your role as a pharmacy technician Discuss the government policies that have influenced changes in delivery of minor ailments services to patients including the new community pharmacy contract Review the roles of your pharmacy team in delivering minor ailments services now Prepare an outline of considered changes in roles for the future Module 2 Use your knowledge and skills to support your Medicine Counter Assistants (MCA) to deliver minor ailments services Take the lead in developing minor ailments services in your pharmacy with the support of your pharmacist Module 3 Discuss the legal and ethical issues around delivering minor ailments services in a pharmacy Explain how Patient Medication Records (PMRs), confidentiality and data protection play into minor ailments services Explain medicine classification and the key issues relating to POM to P changes Apply your understanding about Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to minor ailments services 4 Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role

5 Introduction Module 4 Describe the new NHS funded minor ailments schemes including why they were introduced and how they work Discuss the role pharmacy technicians can play in the development of these schemes Prepare an outline plan for your own practice Module 5 (available on-line only ) List and use clinical signposts to support your own learning about minor ailments and the learning of the pharmacy team you may be leading in the future. Who is this programme intended to support? This programme is mainly intended to support community pharmacy technicians. It may also support learning of pharmacy technicians working in any area of pharmacy who have a role in minor ailments. If you work in a clinical role in hospital your patients may ask for advice about minor ailments. You may be a PCT pharmacy technician leading on minor ailments schemes. You may work in a prison pharmacy and be interested in updating yourself on the recent self-care developments. Structure How to use this learning programme The open learning programme is split into five modules: Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Introduction to Minor Ailments Services Managing Minor Ailments Services the role of the pharmacy technician Managing Minor Ailments Services in the Pharmacy facts for pharmacy technicians Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role 5

6 Module 4 Leading NHS funded Minor Ailment Schemes everything you need to know Module 5 Clinical Signposts for Minor Ailments (this module is only available on-line at follow the links for pharmacy technicians). Study time The study time will depend on you, but we estimate that the complete programme (five modules) will take around 10 hours to complete. The approximate time to complete each module is given at the beginning of the module. Study Strategies The following suggestions may help you to develop your own individual study strategy and facilitate the most effective use of this programme to suit your learning. Plan to set aside specific times to work through the material or perhaps make use of occasional spare time you have (i.e. quiet periods at work, perhaps your lunch hour or time during a bus or train journey). Study in manageable chunks (not too much at once). The modular format of the programme should help you to do this. Study in a way that suits your style of learning. You may want to read the theory and work methodically through all of the exercises. You may want to dive straight into the exercises and just use the reading as an occasional prop. There is no right or wrong approach. Remember that the 6 Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role

7 purpose of your hard work is to gain confidence to take your role in minor ailments forward at whatever level is appropriate for you and your workplace. Use that as your guide to whether your approach to study is working! Try to apply what you have been learning in practice and reflect on how this has worked. When you have completed the activities and exercises in the programme you may want to compare your answers with the suggested ones you will find on the CPPE website ( Internet Access A lot of information is now easily available through websites. We assume that you can gain access to a computer with access to the internet. If you do not have direct access you may want to ask a colleague or your employer; alternatively consider using the local library or an internet café. In this learning programme there are many internet links to articles which will broaden your knowledge and develop your understanding of the topic. Exercises and Case Studies The exercises and case studies in the programme are designed to encourage you to apply the learning to your individual situation. Try them out. Chat through your ideas with your colleagues. You can jot your answers in this booklet or use a notebook for recording your thoughts and ideas. Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role 7

8 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activities These activities are to encourage you to apply the CPD cycle at the appropriate times through the learning programme. They will ask you to reflect on your learning needs (reflection), consider how you will find out what you need to know or do (planning), follow through your plans (action) and finally consider what impact your learning has had on your practice (evaluation). The CPD cycle: Linking this learning programme to Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) competences for pharmacy technicians This programme may contribute to the following general RPSGB competences for pharmacy technicians: TG1 TG2 TG3 TG4 TG5 TG13 TG16 Interacting and working with people Managing your work and self development Managing a team or service Maintaining and Improving the quality of your service Helping others to learn and develop Working with other professionals in healthcare and with other sectors Maintaining an awareness of issues affecting pharmacy and pharmacy technicians 8 Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role

9 You may find that it also contributes to competences that are specific to your sector of practice e.g. hospital, primary care. See RPSGB website for more information: Appendix4.pdf Your learning needs and your CPD Within this learning programme we have included a number of CPD activities to help you to: Reflect on your own learning needs Plan to meet them Act on what you have learnt for example; apply your learning in practice Evaluate what you have learnt, did this learning activity teach you everything you needed to know And finally back to reflection, is there anything else you need to know. The CPD Cycle Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role 9

10 If you re still unsure about how to do your CPD, take a look at the RPSGB online tutorial Try out the CPD activities in this learning programme; they will lead you through the process making you realise just how easy it can be! So before you go any further, have a go at this CPD activity. Remember there are no correct or incorrect answers. CPD is very personal to you, it is about what you think you need to learn and be able to do! CPD Activity minor ailments services and me What do I want to learn? What will I gain from this learning? What will my employer gain? What difference will it make to people who use my services? 10 Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role

11 Point of interest... from the Community Pharmacy Contract and Pharmacy Technician Registration Under the new pharmacy contract, Essential Service 8, Clinical Governance: Education, training, CPD, Personal Development section; Pharmacists are able to demonstrate a commitment to CPD via a CPD record When you register as a pharmacy technician it is mandatory for you to do CPD too. Minor Ailments Services: Pharmacy Technicians - a leading role 11