Is the DCSRH worth it for nurses and pharmacists?

Short answer: in our view yes, if contraception consultations are, or will be, a regular part of your work in primary care, community services or sexual health. CoSRH names nurses, midwives and pharmacists among those who can apply for the DCSRH (formerly the DFSRH). The DCSRH for nurses and pharmacists has the same entry rules and four assessments as it does for doctors. It does not cover fitting coils or implants. Checked against cosrh.org and the CoSRH help centre on 16 October 2026.

Who can apply

CoSRH’s entry requirements open the Diploma to healthcare professionals registered in the UK or Ireland. You must work in primary care, community services or integrated sexual health services. CoSRH lists doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, physician associates and other eligible healthcare professionals. If your work sits outside those settings, we would check with CoSRH or a trainer first.

CoSRH checks the register, so keep the registration number on your CoSRH account up to date. It says the Diploma suits people new to contraception as well as those with existing experience.

Nursing associates cannot apply at present. CoSRH says the DCSRH and its Letters of Competence require you to assess a patient fully and independently. It contrasts this with the NMC requirement for nursing associates to contribute to ongoing assessment.

What you need before you apply

• A College Registered Trainer. You cannot submit an application until one is confirmed. Not every area has one nearby, though remote training is possible if your trainer offers it.
• Injections. You must be able to give intramuscular and subcutaneous injections. You confirm this yourself on the application form.
• Resuscitation and anaphylaxis training. You upload a certificate or equivalent evidence, dated within the last two years and clearly showing your name.
• The Personal Beliefs Guideline. You agree to it as part of the application.

The injection rule is a self-declaration, so make sure it is true now. If your resuscitation update is nearly two years old, we would book the next one first.

Worth knowing early: the portfolio’s e-learning includes child safeguarding to level 3 and two mandatory cervical screening modules. CoSRH says holding a smear number does not exempt you from the screening ones.

What it lets you do and what it does not

CoSRH says the DCSRH gives you the knowledge and skills to carry out an effective contraception consultation. Your trainer signs off its four assessments, from a learning portfolio to an Assessment Half Day with role-played patients.

It is not a licence to fit coils or implants. For fitting, CoSRH has separate Letters of Competence: the LoC IUT for intrauterine techniques and the LoC SDI-IR or LoC SDI-IO for implants. An Online Theory Assessment passed within the Diploma in the last five years also counts towards the LoC IUT or LoC SDI.

CoSRH says its qualifications are not a legal requirement to fit. A Letter of Competence is evidence that you have been trained to its standard; some employers may require one.

Where it helps, in our view

It examines work you may already do. Pill checks, switching methods, emergency contraception and quick starting turn up in practice nurse clinics and pharmacies every week. The DCSRH tests the consultation behind them.

It is evidence you can show. An externally assessed CoSRH diploma is easier to point to than a list of courses if you want to lead contraception work.

It comes with membership. You can use the DCSRH post-nominals while you are a paying Diplomate member. Membership also brings free recertification and discounted rates for CoSRH events.

Who might wait or choose differently, in our view

• You rarely see contraception patients. The five clinical assessments test real consultation skills. Without regular contraception work they are hard to complete. Get the work first.
• Fitting is your main goal. The Diploma will not get you there alone. Ask a trainer about the Letter of Competence route; a theory pass counts either way for five years.
• A big change is coming. The two years run from approval, so if a new job or leave is near, start afterwards. CoSRH may allow an extension of up to 12 months, with no fee for maternity or paternity leave.
• Nobody will fund it. CoSRH’s main fees are £331 to enrol and £142 for Diplomate membership at 2026 prices. Resits, a virtual Assessment Half Day and trainer fees can add to that. CoSRH says many candidates pay less than the full amount, so ask your employer before you budget.

The honest verdict

If contraception is a real part of your week, in our view the DCSRH is worth doing. It is CoSRH’s own qualification for the consultation you already run. Find the trainer first, because that sets your timetable. If contraception is only occasional work for you, waiting costs nothing.

How this fits the platform

The DCSRH hub has a question bank of 650 questions in the style of the Online Theory Assessment across 12 modules. Timed mocks give you 50 questions in 60 minutes. You also get the ten-chapter revision guide and the Station Simulator for timed Assessment Half Day stations. Full access is £49.99 for 12 months. Five interactive decoders, from the UKMEC and missed pills to the postpartum timeline, are free with any account. We do not run courses or offer clinical training, so the clinical side stays with your trainer. You can try ten questions free first.

Quick answers

Core Revision is independent and not affiliated with the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.