In the UK, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must complete Continuing Professional Development (CPD) each year to maintain their registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). This annual requirement ensures that all pharmacy professionals stay up-to-date with best practices and can provide the highest quality of patient care.
GPhC revalidation requirements for pharmacists
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) uses revalidation to ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are fit to practice. This annual process requires you to submit records that show how you’ve updated your skills and applied your learning.
Each year when you renew your registration, you must submit:
- Four CPD entries, with at least two being planned learning activities.
- One reflective record, focusing on GPhC standards like communication, professionalism or leadership.
- One peer discussion record.
Your reflective record should focus on one or more of the following GPhC standards:
- Standard 3: Pharmacy professionals must communicate effectively.
- Standard 6: Pharmacy professionals must behave professionally.
- Standard 9: Pharmacy professionals must demonstrate leadership.
All submitted records must be relevant to the past 12 months and demonstrate a positive impact on patients and service users. The GPhC website provides examples of revalidation records. Although you can log as many CPD entries as you want, you only need to submit four. Always check the GPhC website for the most current requirements, as they can change. Other professional bodies, such as the National Pharmacy Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, also support these requirements and offer helpful resources.
CPD activities for pharmacists
Effective CPD should be relevant to your practice and contain significant intellectual or practical content directly related to pharmacy. It’s best to engage in a variety of activities to ensure a well-rounded development plan.
CPD includes a wide variety of learning activities, both formal and informal, that are relevant to your current or future practice. You can use CPD to learn a new subject or simply advance your existing knowledge.
Formal CPD often involves structured, participation-based learning. This can include training courses, workshops, seminars and interactive webinars.
Other valuable CPD activities include:
- Clinical meetings and scientific conferences.
- Reviewing or publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
- Facilitating educational events.
- Completing online modules from websites like Chemist + Druggist and Pharmacy Magazine.
For a well-rounded development plan, it’s recommended that you engage in a balanced mix of these activities, covering both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical aspects of your role, such as management or teaching.
Planned vs. unplanned CPD for GPhC revalidation
Pharmacists are required to record two types of learning for their CPD: planned and unplanned. At least two entries each year must be planned to meet GPhC requirements.
When you intentionally decide to develop specific knowledge or skills, that’s considered planned learning. This could be attending a conference or completing an activity to address a known gap in your expertise. When recording this type of CPD, you should detail what you intended to learn, why it’s relevant to your practice and how it will impact the people who use your services. It’s also important to explain the activities you chose to undertake and, once the learning has been applied, provide an example of how it has benefited your service users.
Unplanned learning happens when an event prompts a learning activity without prior thought or planning. This could be anything from reading a journal article to having a discussion with a colleague. When recording this type of CPD, you should describe the activity that led to the new knowledge or skill, what you learned and how you applied it. It’s also important to explain how this application benefited your service users, using a real-life example like addressing a specific patient query or introducing a new service.
How to manage your CPD portfolio
A CPD portfolio is a record of your professional development. It helps you reflect on your growth and maintain evidence of your learning.
It’s your responsibility to keep your portfolio up to date. To do this effectively, you should:
- Develop and maintain your CPD plan to identify your learning goals.
- Choose relevant CPD activities that align with your plan and scope of practice.
- Reflect on each activity, noting how it has impacted your skills or knowledge.
- Maintain detailed records of all activities.
Remember, your CPD records must be easily accessible, written in clear English, and submitted electronically through mygphc.org. Avoid including any sensitive patient information.
Conclusion
Keeping up with your annual GPhC revalidation and CPD requirements is essential for all UK pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. By managing your CPD portfolio, engaging in a mix of planned and unplanned learning and ensuring all records meet GPhC standards, you can maintain your registration and continue providing the best possible care for patients. Stay informed by regularly checking the official GPhC website for the most current requirements.