Digital pharmacy: preparing for the future of the profession
This was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
What RCPharm is doing
To help you improve your digital literacy, we published our Digital Capabilities for the Pharmacy Workforce policy, which details local and national recommendations for improving digital capabilities across pharmacy.
We also held a Digital Innovation and Education Roundtable to explore how to support digital innovation across the profession. The roundtable brought together experts in the fields of digital innovation and key stakeholders in pharmacy education. The roundtable report details its findings.
If you’d like to stay up to date with innovations in digital pharmacy, you’re welcome to observe at our Digital Pharmacy Expert Advisory Group (DPEAG) meetings.
More information on the group and the timings of meetings is available on the DPEAG webpage.
A national working group has developed a resource to help pharmacy professionals understand why digital skills are essential in practice. It provides guidance on professional frameworks to support the development of digital skills and capabilities, along with an overview of available education and training resources, all in one place: Digital skills and capabilities.
Artificial intelligence
AI could transform the way pharmacists approach patient care and support more informed, personalised and proactive care. Along with the benefits, there are risks and drawbacks of using AI in pharmacy practice, which you can read more about in our policy on AI.
If you are using AI or other innovative digital solutions, including AI, within your pharmacy practice, please let us know by completing this form.
In 2026, RCPharm undertook a survey of pharmacists to explore the use and impact of AI on pharmacy practice. A copy of the report can be found here.
NHS England and digital pharmacy
Digital and technology are mentioned throughout the NHS ten-year plan: Fit for the Future, and it includes goals for improving the NHS digital landscape. Find out what the ten-year plan means for the future of pharmacy by reading our briefing report.
Recent news and views on digital pharmacy
- Integrated digital patient care records to be created following law change – The Pharmaceutical Journal
- My digital pharmacy journey: from community counter to chief pharmacy information officer — blog
- My digital pharmacy journey: from pharmacy technician to EPMA solution architect — blog
Digital health and AI resources
AI strategy & policy
- AI Opportunities Action Plan (2025) — UK government’s strategic roadmap for harnessing AI across sectors
- AI Playbook for the UK Government (2025) — Guidance for public sector organisations on responsible and effective AI adoption
- Pro-Innovation Approach to AI Regulation (2023) — Policy framework promoting innovation-friendly AI regulation in the UK
- Scotland’s AI Strategy (2021) — National strategy promoting trustworthy, ethical, and inclusive AI development
- Welsh Government AI Commission for Health and Social Care — Strategic insights into AI’s role in transforming health and social care in Wales
- FIP AI policy — exploring how AI should be adopted as part of pharmacy practice.
Digital health & medicines
- Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England (2025) — Long-term strategy for modernising England’s healthcare system.
- CPPE Digital Healthcare Learning Gateway — A learning platform to support pharmacy professionals in developing digital healthcare skills for the NHS
- Topol Review — Recommendations for preparing the healthcare workforce for digital transformation and AI integration
- DHCW Wales: Digital Medicines Programme — Programme focused on improving medicines management through digital innovation
Regulation & standards
- NHS Digital Regulations Service — Online tool to help innovators navigate digital health regulations.
- MHRA: Impact of AI on Medical Product Regulation (2024) — Analysis of how AI is reshaping regulatory practices for medical products
- NICE Evidence Standards Framework (2022) — Standards for evaluating digital health technologies in clinical settings
Knowledge & research
- SPICe Briefing: AI and Healthcare in Scotland (2024) — Parliamentary research on AI’s impact on Scottish healthcare systems.
- NHS Wales AI Knowledge Repository — Centralised resource hub for AI-related healthcare knowledge and tools
- Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy — Vision and priorities for digital transformation in Scottish health and care services
- Scotland’s Data Strategy for Health and Social Care — Framework for ethical and effective use of data in health and social care
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