Explore CPPE leadership courses for pharmacists. Develop pharmacy leadership skills through Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education programmes.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Wed 21st April 2027
Leadership courses through CPPE (Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education) provide pharmacists with profession-specific development addressing the evolving leadership demands of community, hospital, and primary care pharmacy practice. As pharmacy's clinical role expands and the profession takes on greater responsibility within integrated healthcare systems, leadership capability becomes essential for pharmacists at all career stages.
CPPE, funded by Health Education England to provide free education for NHS pharmacy professionals, recognises that technical expertise alone no longer suffices. Today's pharmacists must lead teams, influence within multidisciplinary settings, drive service development, and navigate the complexities of modern healthcare delivery.
This guide examines leadership development opportunities through CPPE, helping pharmacy professionals identify programmes that match their career stage and leadership aspirations.
The Centre's approach to developing pharmacy leaders.
CPPE (Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education) is funded by Health Education England to provide free education and training for NHS-funded pharmacy professionals in England, including leadership development that prepares pharmacists to lead within evolving healthcare systems. Leadership education reflects pharmacy's expanding clinical and service leadership responsibilities.
CPPE overview:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education |
| Funding | Health Education England |
| Eligibility | NHS-funded pharmacy professionals in England |
| Cost | Free to eligible professionals |
| Delivery | Online, face-to-face, blended |
| Focus | Clinical and professional development |
CPPE's inclusion of leadership development recognises that pharmacy's future depends on pharmacists who can lead services, not merely deliver them. The profession's evolution from supply-focused to clinically-focused practice requires leadership capabilities that traditional pharmacy education didn't provide.
"CPPE develops pharmacy leaders who can shape services, influence healthcare delivery, and maximise pharmacy's contribution to patient outcomes." — CPPE leadership development perspective
Pharmacists need leadership development because the profession's expanding clinical role requires influencing within multidisciplinary teams, leading service development, managing teams, driving quality improvement, and shaping pharmacy's contribution to integrated healthcare. Technical dispensing competence, whilst foundational, no longer defines professional success.
Leadership development drivers:
| Driver | Explanation | Leadership Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Expanded clinical role | Pharmacists as clinical practitioners | Clinical leadership capability |
| Service development | New services, new models | Service design and implementation |
| Team leadership | Leading pharmacy teams | People management skills |
| Multidisciplinary working | Integration with healthcare teams | Influencing without authority |
| Quality improvement | Continuous service enhancement | QI methodology and leadership |
| Professional development | Career progression | Strategic and personal development |
The pharmacist working in isolation, focused solely on accurate dispensing, represents an increasingly obsolete model. Modern pharmacy requires practitioners who can lead within complex systems, influence across professional boundaries, and drive continuous improvement.
Understanding available development options.
CPPE offers leadership programmes including foundation leadership awareness for early career pharmacists, developing leader programmes for emerging leaders, senior leadership development, and specialty-focused leadership addressing specific pharmacy contexts. The portfolio addresses different career stages and practice settings.
CPPE leadership programme types:
| Programme Type | Target Audience | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership awareness | Early career | Foundation concepts |
| Developing leaders | Emerging pharmacists | Core capability building |
| Senior leadership | Experienced practitioners | Strategic leadership |
| Clinical leadership | Clinical pharmacists | Clinical service leadership |
| Service development | All career stages | Leading service change |
| Team leadership | Team managers | People leadership skills |
Programmes vary from short e-learning modules through day workshops to extended development over months. The mix of online, face-to-face, and blended delivery accommodates different learning preferences and practical constraints.
CPPE regularly updates offerings to address emerging needs. New programmes addressing integrated care, primary care network leadership, and digital transformation reflect pharmacy's evolving context.
CPPE programmes use varied delivery formats including self-directed e-learning, virtual workshops, face-to-face events, distance learning with tutor support, and blended approaches combining multiple modalities. Structure varies by programme complexity and learning objectives.
Delivery formats:
E-learning
Virtual workshops
Face-to-face
Blended
Distance learning
The free access for eligible pharmacy professionals removes cost barriers. However, time remains a constraint—completing development requires commitment despite zero financial cost. Consider how each programme fits with work and personal responsibilities.
Stage-appropriate development pathways.
Pre-registration and early career pharmacists should pursue leadership awareness and foundation development including understanding leadership concepts, building communication skills, learning to work effectively in teams, and developing self-awareness about leadership potential. Early career development builds foundations for later leadership.
Early career leadership development:
| Stage | Appropriate Development | Practical Application |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-registration | Leadership awareness | Team contribution |
| Foundation years (0-2) | Core concepts | Improving own practice |
| Developing (2-5 years) | Foundation skills | Small project leadership |
| Established (5+ years) | Capability building | Team and service contributions |
Early career pharmacists should focus on understanding leadership rather than accumulating credentials. Observing leaders, reflecting on leadership experiences, and building foundational skills provide more value than premature senior leadership programmes.
CPPE foundation programmes provide appropriate introduction without overwhelming early career professionals. The goal is awareness and readiness rather than comprehensive capability—that develops with experience and continued learning.
Experienced pharmacists can develop leadership capability through CPPE advanced programmes, NHS Leadership Academy offerings, professional body development, executive coaching, and practical experience in leadership roles within pharmacy services. Multiple pathways exist for those ready for increased responsibility.
Experienced pharmacist development:
Formal programmes
Practical experience
Coaching and mentoring
Professional engagement
Combine formal learning with practical application. Leadership development without leadership practice provides incomplete preparation. Seek stretch assignments that develop capability through experience.
Development preparing for pharmacy leadership roles should include service management fundamentals, financial understanding, workforce leadership, governance knowledge, strategic planning, and influencing within NHS structures—building on clinical credibility with management capability. Leadership roles require capabilities beyond clinical excellence.
Leadership role preparation:
| Capability | Development Focus | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Service management | Operations, performance | Running effective services |
| Financial | Budgets, cost-effectiveness | Resource stewardship |
| Workforce | HR, team development | Leading people |
| Clinical governance | Quality, safety | Ensuring standards |
| Strategic | Planning, direction | Service development |
| Influence | Stakeholder engagement | Achieving outcomes |
Chief Pharmacist, Lead Pharmacist, and Clinical Lead roles require management capabilities pharmacy training doesn't provide. Prepare before appointment rather than learning through crisis. The transition from clinical expert to leader proves challenging without development support.
Context-specific development considerations.
Community pharmacists need leadership skills in running small businesses, leading pharmacy teams, implementing clinical services within commercial constraints, building relationships with GP practices and care homes, and influencing local healthcare systems. Community pharmacy leadership combines clinical and commercial requirements.
Community pharmacy leadership:
| Skill Area | Application | Development Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Team leadership | Managing pharmacy staff | People management, delegation |
| Service development | Implementing new services | Change management, business case |
| Local influence | GP and care home relationships | Relationship building, influence |
| Commercial awareness | Balancing clinical and financial | Business understanding |
| Quality improvement | Service enhancement | QI methodology |
| Patient leadership | Patient-centred care | Communication, engagement |
Community pharmacy operates with unique constraints and opportunities. Owner-pharmacists face entrepreneurial leadership challenges. Employee pharmacists must lead within others' businesses. Both require distinctive capabilities.
CPPE community pharmacy programmes address these specific contexts. Consider how leadership development applies to community pharmacy's particular circumstances—small teams, commercial pressures, local system integration.
Hospital pharmacists require leadership capabilities in clinical service leadership, multidisciplinary team influence, quality improvement within complex organisations, workforce development, and specialist pharmacy service management. Hospital pharmacy leadership operates within organisational complexity.
Hospital pharmacy leadership:
Clinical leadership
Team leadership
Organisational influence
Service development
Hospital pharmacy provides structured leadership opportunities through clinical lead roles, directorate contributions, and Trust-wide engagement. The organisational complexity develops leadership capability through experience if approached deliberately.
Primary care pharmacists can develop leadership through CPPE primary care programmes, PCN-focused development, NHS Leadership Academy offerings, and practical experience leading pharmacy services within general practice and primary care networks. Primary care pharmacy creates new leadership contexts requiring specific development.
Primary care pharmacy leadership:
| Context | Leadership Challenge | Development Focus |
|---|---|---|
| General practice | Integration into practice teams | Multidisciplinary influence |
| PCN working | Network-level service delivery | System leadership |
| Clinical leadership | Prescribing, medicines management | Clinical credibility, influence |
| Service development | New service implementation | Change management |
| Workforce | Pharmacy technician supervision | Team development |
| Digital | Technology-enabled practice | Digital leadership |
Primary care pharmacy represents relatively new territory. Leadership models continue evolving. Pharmacists entering primary care often develop leadership capability simultaneously with clinical practice—requiring deliberate development attention.
CPPE primary care programmes address these specific contexts. The rapid expansion of primary care pharmacy creates leadership opportunity for those who develop capability proactively.
Leading improvement in pharmacy services.
CPPE supports quality improvement leadership through QI methodology programmes, improvement project facilitation, case studies of pharmacy improvement, and resources for implementing evidence-based practice change. QI leadership provides accessible development for pharmacists at all career stages.
QI leadership support:
Methodology training
Application support
Clinical improvement
Service improvement
Leading quality improvement projects builds practical leadership capability—engaging stakeholders, implementing change, measuring impact—within familiar pharmacy context. QI leadership often provides the entry point for broader leadership development.
Pharmacists should develop clinical leadership capabilities in influencing prescribing practice, leading medicines optimisation, building clinical credibility with medical colleagues, driving evidence-based change, and contributing to clinical governance. Clinical leadership represents pharmacy's distinctive contribution.
Clinical leadership capabilities:
| Capability | Application | Development Path |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribing influence | Changing prescribing practice | Evidence use, relationship building |
| Clinical credibility | Respected by medical colleagues | Clinical excellence, communication |
| Evidence integration | Implementing evidence-based practice | Critical appraisal, change management |
| Safety leadership | Preventing medication harm | System thinking, safety culture |
| Governance contribution | Quality assurance | Governance understanding |
| Patient advocacy | Person-centred care | Communication, engagement |
Clinical leadership builds on clinical competence. Without clinical credibility, influence proves impossible. With credibility, pharmacists can lead practice change that improves patient outcomes. The combination of clinical excellence and leadership capability maximises pharmacy's impact.
Practical guidance for participation.
Pharmacy professionals access CPPE programmes through the CPPE website after creating an account, selecting relevant programmes, and completing learning activities or booking events. Access is straightforward for eligible NHS-funded professionals in England.
Access process:
Create account
Browse programmes
Book and complete
Track learning
Check eligibility if uncertain about NHS funding status. Not all pharmacy professionals qualify—CPPE funding primarily supports those working in NHS-funded services. Private sector or industry pharmacists may have limited access.
Free CPPE programmes are available to pharmacy professionals working in NHS-funded services in England, including community pharmacists providing NHS services, hospital pharmacists, primary care pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians in NHS roles. Eligibility relates to NHS-funded work rather than employer type.
Eligibility categories:
| Professional | Typical Eligibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Community pharmacists | Those providing NHS services | Community pharmacy contract |
| Hospital pharmacists | NHS Trust employees | Direct NHS employment |
| Primary care pharmacists | GP practice, PCN employed | NHS commissioning |
| Pharmacy technicians | NHS-funded roles | Various settings |
| Pre-registration | During training year | Training programme enrolled |
| Locums | When providing NHS services | Work-based eligibility |
Pharmacists working exclusively in private or industry settings may not qualify for free access. Check eligibility criteria on the CPPE website if uncertain. Some programmes may be available for purchase by ineligible professionals.
CPPE development complements other options by providing profession-specific, NHS-context learning whilst generic programmes address broader leadership capability—combining pharmacy relevance with transferable skills. Most effective development draws from multiple sources.
Complementary development:
| Provider | Distinctive Contribution |
|---|---|
| CPPE | Pharmacy-specific, NHS context |
| NHS Leadership Academy | System leadership, NHS-wide |
| RPS | Professional development, advocacy |
| University programmes | Academic credentials |
| Coaching | Individual development |
| Employer programmes | Organisation-specific |
CPPE programmes understand pharmacy contexts—dispensing pressures, clinical service delivery, regulatory requirements, professional culture. Generic leadership programmes build broader capability. Combining approaches provides comprehensive development.
Avoid duplicating learning across providers. Each programme should address specific developmental needs rather than repeat similar content in different packaging.
Strategic approach to development.
Pharmacists should plan leadership development by assessing current capabilities against role requirements, identifying priority development areas, selecting appropriate programmes, scheduling learning realistically, and applying learning to practice. Strategic planning maximises development return.
Planning framework:
| Phase | Key Actions | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Self-assessment, feedback seeking | Understanding of gaps |
| Prioritisation | Focus on highest-impact areas | Development priorities |
| Selection | Match programmes to needs | Appropriate development chosen |
| Scheduling | Realistic timeframes | Achievable plan |
| Application | Practice leadership behaviours | Capability building |
| Review | Evaluate and adjust | Continuous improvement |
Free access to CPPE removes financial constraints but time remains limited. Prioritise development that addresses genuine needs rather than accumulating completions for their own sake. Quality of engagement matters more than quantity of programmes completed.
Consider development as ongoing journey rather than destination. Leadership capability builds over years through combined formal learning and practical experience. Plan for continuous development across career stages.
A pharmacy leadership development plan should include capability assessment, development objectives, selected programmes, practical application opportunities, timeline, support arrangements, and evaluation criteria. Comprehensive planning increases development effectiveness.
Plan components:
Current capability assessment
Development objectives
Selected activities
Implementation
Evaluation
Document your plan and discuss with line managers, mentors, or professional development leads. External accountability supports follow-through. Regular review ensures plans remain relevant as circumstances change.
CPPE offers leadership courses including leadership awareness programmes for early career pharmacists, developing leader courses for emerging leaders, senior leadership development, clinical leadership, team leadership, and service development programmes. Delivery includes e-learning, virtual workshops, and face-to-face events. Check the CPPE website for current offerings.
CPPE programmes are free to eligible pharmacy professionals working in NHS-funded services in England. This includes community pharmacists providing NHS services, hospital pharmacists in NHS Trusts, primary care pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians in NHS roles. Check eligibility criteria if uncertain about your status.
Access CPPE leadership training by creating an account on the CPPE website, verifying your eligibility, browsing available programmes, and enrolling in relevant courses. Complete e-learning modules online and book places on workshops or events. Track your completion and download certificates for your CPD portfolio.
CPPE leadership development is not mandatory but increasingly important for career progression and effective practice. GPhC revalidation requires CPD including learning addressing practice needs. Leadership development supports both professional requirements and career advancement. Consider leadership development as essential rather than optional.
CPPE leadership training supports career progression by building capabilities required for senior pharmacy roles, preparing for leadership responsibilities, developing influence skills for multidisciplinary working, and demonstrating commitment to professional development. Employers increasingly expect leadership capability alongside clinical expertise.
Pharmacy technicians in NHS-funded roles can access relevant CPPE programmes. Some programmes specifically address pharmacy technician leadership; others welcome both pharmacists and technicians. Check programme descriptions for target audience. Pharmacy technician leadership development reflects the profession's expanding responsibilities.
NHS Leadership Academy programmes, Royal Pharmaceutical Society development, university healthcare leadership courses, executive coaching, and employer-provided development complement CPPE programmes. CPPE provides pharmacy-specific development; other providers add broader leadership capability. Combining approaches creates comprehensive development.
CPPE leadership courses provide pharmacy professionals with profession-specific development for leading within evolving healthcare systems. The free access for eligible NHS pharmacy professionals removes barriers to building leadership capability essential for modern pharmacy practice.
Key considerations for pharmacy leadership development:
The profession's evolution demands pharmacists who can lead services, influence healthcare systems, and maximise pharmacy's contribution to patient outcomes. Technical dispensing competence remains necessary but no longer sufficient.
Build capability appropriate to your stage.
Apply learning to practice.
Lead for better patient outcomes.
Pharmacy's future depends on pharmacists who can lead beyond the dispensary. CPPE resources exist to build this capability. Your patients, colleagues, and profession will benefit from your investment in leadership development.