The Centre for Pharmacist Postgraduate Education (CPPE) has launched a new heart failure training programme designed to help pharmacists better support patients with the condition. 

CPPE said on September 1 that the "Heart failure: Optimising the four pillars" programme champions a "shared decision-making approach", in which participants discuss possible barriers to optimising the four pillars of heart treatment: RAAS inhibitors, beta-blockers, MRAs and SGLT2 inhibitors. 

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It also encourages pharmacy professionals to "identify the key information needed during transfer of care to support safe decisions about restarting heart failure medicines". 

CPPE said the programme links with "wider priorities", including updated NICE guidance, the NHS 10-year health plan and the Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, "where the focus is shifting from monitoring to medicines optimisation". 

"Maximising impact" 

The programme involves training sessions "designed for small workplace groups", which include "20 minutes of individual preparation", followed by colleagues joining a "40-minute group discussion to reflect on practice, share experiences and plan next steps". 

CPPE said it has been developed "to help pharmacy professionals increase their knowledge, skills and confidence in supporting people living with heart failure". 

It added that during the sessions, activities will allow learners to "debate controversial topics, make justified clinical decisions and practice communication with patients and/or other healthcare professionals". 

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It said the approach "supports team learning while maximising impact in a short time frame". 

"You don't need to be a heart failure specialist to make a difference. The programme is designed to help pharmacy teams build confidence and apply learning directly in everyday practice to improve patient outcomes," it added. 

"Care is changing" 

According to CPPE, around 900,000 people are living with heart failure in the UK, costing the NHS up to £6bn a year, while hospital admissions have increased by 50% over the last 10 years. 

"Heart failure care is changing, and pharmacy professionals are increasingly well placed to support timely, person-centred medicines optimisation," it said. 

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All registered pharmacy technicians and pharmacists in England are eligible to access the training free of charge.  

While "you don't need to be a specialist" to take the programme, CPPE said it assumes participants will have "some prior knowledge of the topic area" and suggests revising knowledge via the "Fundamentals of cardiovascular therapeutics e-course" if necessary.  

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It comes after NHS England updated the community pharmacy hypertension case-finding service last month to focus eligibility for patients "who do not have a current diagnosis of hypertension". 

And it follows the Company Chemists' Association in July urging policymakers to expand community pharmacy's role in preventing cardiovascular disease.