The UKCPA was established in 1981 with the aim of supporting and encouraging the emergence of clinical pharmacy.  It brings together like-minded pharmacists from different practice areas to share knowledge, research and experiences.

Pharmacists, technicians or other health care professionals providing clinical services to patients will benefit from joining the UKCPA.

Current membership comprises over 2,000 people from all areas of the profession: hospital, community, academia, industry and pharmacists and technicians working at the interface between primary and secondary care.  With this broad spectrum of members, the Association is able to access knowledge and expertise in order to examine ways in which pharmacists can deliver patient-focused care. 

UKCPA organises two symposia each year in May and November.  Each symposium provides a forum for presentation of research in the form of posters or oral communications.  In collaboration with members from the pharmaceutical industry, UKCPA confers awards for original, practice-based research.  In recent years, the UKCPA has worked alongside the Guild of Healthcare Professionals to present a joint Spring Conference. 

The hallmark of these symposia are the workshops which are interactive and
participative. UKCPA members who are acknowledged experts in their field of practice present workshops.

In 1996 UKCPA published its 'Statement on Pharmaceutical Care'.  This widely distributed document presents the Association's philosophy on the continued development of the profession where the delivery of pharmaceutical care will be in multi-disciplinary setting with goals or outcomes agreed with the patient.