The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is reminding all registrants of the continued requirement to undertake and record continuing professional development (CPD) activities as it sets out its next steps to improve the CPD call and review process.
These next steps include:
- Modifying and simplifying the recording requirements for CPD entries
- Improving the online recording tool to make it more accessible and recording simpler
- Consulting next year on specific proposals to introduce a random sampling approach
The changes follow on from an independent review of the GPhC’s CPD arrangements which was published in June, which suggested a number of potential improvements to the CPD call and review process, including randomly sampling the register to encourage registrants to record their CPD more frequently. They fit in with the wider work the GPhC is undertaking to move towards a process for registrants to further demonstrate their ability to meet our standards over the course of their careers, of which CPD will be an important element alongside peer discussion and evidence drawn from professional practice.
Commenting on the next steps, Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive of the GPhC said:
“We believe that the changes we are planning will significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the CPD call and review process as well as the experience of registrants recording their CPD.
“But I want to be very clear that pharmacy professionals must still continue to undertake and record their CPD during this time.
“This is a requirement for registration and is also a vital part of being a professional. Undertaking and recording CPD provides an important assurance to patients and the public that pharmacy professionals are keeping their knowledge and skills up to date and reflecting on their practice.
“And it is important to note that, whichever changes we make in future, we will be asking for evidence of CPD in every year of practice”.
The GPhC’s council is considering how to manage the transition to new arrangements. For now all current CPD requirements remain the same.