CPD Requirements

Is CPD mandatory?	top
CPD has been mandatory since 2005. The Society introduced CPD Standards and Good Practice Guidance under the Code of Ethics on 1st March 2009. Principle 6.6 of the Code of Ethics states that you must comply with legal requirements, mandatory professional standards and accepted best practice guidance and the CPD Standards state that you must keep a record of your CPD.

What happens if I don't meet the standards?	top
Under the Code of Ethics you must comply with the CPD Standards which came into effect on 1st March 2009. If you accept the allegation of non-compliance you will be sent a letter from the Chief Inspector and this will be made a note of in your record which will remain for five years. If you do not accept the allegation you will be referred to the Investigating Committee.

What do the Standards for CPD require me to do?	top
They require you to keep a record of CPD, make a minimum of nine entries per year in your CPD record, reflect and record how the CPD task has helped you to develop or improve the quality of your practice and submit your records to the regulator when requested to do so. For the full standards and good practice guidance please use the link:

When will I need to submit my CPD record to the Society?	top
CPD Standard 1.5 states you must submit your CPD record to the Society on request. The Society is due to commence call & review of records in July 2009.

What about entries I made before 1st March 2009?	top
These entries will not be required to meet the CPD standards but would be expected to relate to previous guidance on keeping a legible CPD record in a Society approved format. You may submit up to maximum of 20 CPD entries commencing 2005.

What if my CPD record gets called in after the 1st March 2010?

top

As the standards will have been in force for one year by March 2010 you will be expected to demonstrate that you have made a minimum of nine entries between 1st March 2009 and 1st March 2010. These entries must comply with the CPD Standards. The CPD Good Practice Guidance states that you should aim to complete more than the minimum number of CPD entries each year. You may also submit additional entries made prior to 1st March 2009, up to a maximum of 20 entries. Any entries submitted that were made prior to 1st March 2009 do not need to comply with the CPD Standards.

What if I work part time?	top
Even if you only work part time you will still be expected to make as a minimum, nine records a year commencing from 1st March 2009. You will also have been expected to demonstrate the fact that you have undertaken and recorded CPD since 2005.

Will there be different requirements for me as a supplementary/independent prescriber?	top
The CPD standards apply equally to all who are registered but additionally you would have to demonstrate that some of your learning relates to supplementary/independent prescribing.

Will CPD apply to all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians?	top
CPD applies equally to all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who are registered as practising, regardless of part-time employment or working in positions of authority.

How will my CPD record be reviewed?	top
Your CPD record will be reviewed against a standard set of criteria. These criteria are consistent with those published as part of the Society's Plan and Record document and can be found in appendix 5 if you are a pharmacist or appendix 6 if you are a pharmacy technician.

Who will review my CPD record?

top

Your CPD record will be examined by trained CPD reviewers who are contracted by the Society. CPD reviewers come from a range of backgrounds and include pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others. They have all been through an extensive selection, assessment, and training process and are subject to ongoing quality assessment during their contracted employment by the Society. At various stages it is expected that there will be a requirement for more reviewers to be employed. These positions will be advertised on the RSPGB website and through the Pharmaceutical Journal.

When my record is called for review will I get feedback?	top
Yes. Once your CPD record has been reviewed, you will receive feedback on the good practice that has been identified within your CPD record as well as aspects of your CPD that you may need to look at again.

What is revalidation?

top

Revalidation is a new approach to professional regulation that aims to improve patient safety, encourage professional development and increase patients' confidence in their health professionals. Revalidation is not just CPD. CPD will be a major component of revalidation, but revalidation might also include, for example, the need to demonstrate that a given number of days have been spent in a relevant field of practice over a defined period of time.

When will revalidation be introduced?	top
It is expected that by 2012, all practising pharmacists and registered pharmacy technicians will be required to periodically demonstrate their continued fitness to practise. In coordination with the other health professions, the Society is currently developing a model for revalidation in pharmacy, which utilises CPD and other existing information on professional practice as appropriate.