Quality Seal

The NPA Quality Seal is the gold standard ‘seal of approval’ recognised throughout UK community pharmacy as the highest quality training material.

The NPA Quality Training Seal is awarded only to the very best training documents, following a rigorous and objective evaluation procedure. The NPA Quality Training Seal provides peace of mind to community pharmacists and their support staff that the training they are receiving is of the highest quality; helping them to distinguish between the numerous training materials that arrive in the pharmacy.

The NPA Quality Communications Seal identifies excellent communication material and training for topics indirectly associated to community pharmacy.  The NPA Quality Communications Seal provides endorsement of informative documents of outstanding quality which are directly related to community pharmacy practice. Great communication is an important part of modern pharmacy and the NPA endorsement is restricted to the most engaging professional documents.

The NPA Quality Communications Seal is also available to other training materials which are indirectly related to community pharmacy.  The training material will require a traditional structure and will undergo a rigorous evaluation procedure, however the training material may cover items such as soft skills, consulting patients and presentation skills.

• The NPA Quality Seal is recognised throughout the world of community pharmacy as the gold standard ‘seal of approval’ providing credibility and prestige to your training material
• The NPA Quality Training Seal process will add value to your training material through a process of professional evaluation and recommendation of improvements, where applicable.
• The NPA Quality Training Seal identifies the best available professional development resources for community pharmacy which will contribute to CPD.
• The NPA Quality Communication Seal promotes and develops high quality professional practice, with effective signposting, which raises the standards in pharmacy patient care.
• The NPA Quality Seal highlights your training documents or communication material to our members and the wider pharmacy professional community as a valuable resource to develop professional competencies.

NPA Quality – Training Seal

The NPA Quality – Training Seal is suitable for structured training material for evidence-based treatments. This may include support staff training, CPD material, POM to P switches and new products.

NPA Quality – Communications Seal

The NPA Quality – Communications Seal is suitable for communication material and training for topics including, but not limited to, soft skills, complementary medicines, and cosmetics.

Fill in an application form, complete and sign the Declaration form for the appropriate seal. Then submit the two forms with an electronic version of material to be endorsed including all relevant supporting documents with the electronic submission.

All enquiries and applications should be made by e-mail to cdt@npa.co.uk

1. Quality Seal Application form
2. Quality Seal Review Declaration
3. An electronic copy of your training material
4. All associated documents which you wish to also carry the NPA Quality Seal logo (e.g. certificates, promotional material, etc.)

Following an initial screening by the NPA, suitable documents for Quality Seal endorsement will undergo a full detailed review to evaluate the document against specific assessment criteria that covers the material’s purpose, structure, audience, style and engagement.

The Reviewer is selected from our team of Learning and Development pharmacists who are experts in the field of training.  The whole process is audited and tracked by a Quality Assurance pharmacist who verifies the reviewer at every stage of the process, from standardisation to sign-off.

Each document has a unique reference number assigned on application which remains constant.

This process includes determining:

• The material meets the NPA’s standards and criteria
• The material is written and presented at the appropriate level for the identified target audience
• The material meets defined objectives in either training or communication
• The training is up-to-date and contains appropriate references
• The material is objective and provides a balanced overview of all available treatments
• The material is engaging and professionally presented.

This stage can take up to 4 weeks and you can expect to receive an outcome of the review within 4-6 weeks of submission. At this stage you may be awarded the NPA Quality Seal or asked to undertake further work before the NPA Quality Seal can be awarded. You will receive feedback which has both mandatory and recommended changes for the document to enable NPA endorsement of Quality Seal. Projects that require a shorter turnaround time can usually be accommodated once timescales have been agreed with the Quality Assurance pharmacist.

Please ensure all material is submitted in an electronic format to allow track changes to be made during the review process.

Our primary aim is to ensure material awarded the NPA Quality Seal is of the highest quality. If you are informed that further work is required for the NPA Quality Seal to be provided, you will receive detailed feedback to enable you to meet the NPA criteria. On completion of the additional work or amendments the material must be resubmitted for review. All NPA mandatory comments must be incorporated in order for the NPA Quality Seal to be awarded.

Some feedback is given on a recommended basis; this is not mandatory but it would be strongly advisable to review the material, in order for the material to be of the highest possible standards.

If further re-submissions are required this will incur additional costs, please see price guide.

Following submission of your documentation you can expect to receive an outcome within 4-6 weeks. If you require an earlier response, please contact the NPA in advance so that this can be arranged for you. Following the guidance within this pack will help to ensure the review is conducted efficiently and in a timely manner.

It is strongly advised that the documents that are submitted are final draft versions having undergone internal Quality Control measures, including the document being clinically and technically correct which includes spelling and grammar checks. The document must not be changed after final endorsement unless it is with the NPA’s approval.

The process of Quality Seal review is not a clinical or technical review and the NPA will not be liable of any such inaccuracies.

The logo is valid for two years with an annual update required. Use of the NPA Quality Seal for the second year will require you to undertake an annual review of the material with submission of amendments to the NPA for review. If no amendments are made as a result of the annual review, a statement to this effect must be submitted to the NPA.

1. Material is relevant to community pharmacy.
2. Material is related to medicines management, Pharmaceutical science or Public health.
3. Material is related to the use of medicines and substances must be evidence-based.
4. Material reflects the most current evidence-based practice.
5. Material is impartial giving a balanced overview of the topic and not single product promotion.
6. NPA/CIG are unable to endorse:

• Any brand or promotional material
• Any products, devices or websites
• Any premises or people
• Any training leading to an award or qualification
• Any services.

NPA and CIG have the right to refuse material that may conflict or compromise the NPA’s policy, professional or ethical standing

The NPA Quality – Training Seal highlights the best structured training material for evidence-based treatments. This may include support staff training, CPD material, POM to P switches and new products.

The NPA Quality Training Seal is awarded only to the very best training documents, following a rigorous and objective evaluation procedure. The NPA Quality Training Seal provides peace of mind to community pharmacists and their support staff that the training they are receiving is of the highest quality; helping you to distinguish between the numerous training materials that arrive in the pharmacy.

• The NPA Quality Training Seal process will add value to your training material through a process of professional evaluation and recommendation of improvements, where applicable.
• The NPA Quality Training Seal identifies the best available professional development resources for community pharmacy which will contribute to CPD.

The NPA Quality – Communications Seal endorses only the very best communication material and training for topics relevant to other aspects of community pharmacy including, but not limited to, soft skills, complementary medicines, and cosmetics training.

The NPA Quality – Communications Seal identifies excellent communication material and training for topics indirectly associated to community pharmacy.  The NPA Quality Communications Seal provides endorsement of informative documents of outstanding quality which are directly related to community pharmacy practice. Great communication is an important part of modern pharmacy and the NPA endorsement is restricted to the most engaging professional documents.

The NPA Quality Communications Seal is also available to other training materials which are indirectly related to community pharmacy.  The training material will require a traditional structure and will undergo a rigorous evaluation procedure however the training material may cover items such as soft skills, consulting patients and presentation skills.

• The NPA Quality Communication Seal promotes and develops high quality professional practice, with effective signposting, which raises the standards in pharmacy patient care.
• The NPA Quality Seal highlights your training documents or communication material to our members and the wider pharmacy professional community as a valuable resource to develop professional competencies.