More information can be found on:
CPD standards policy and framework
What do the standards for CPD require me to do?
They require you to keep a record of CPD, make a minimum of 9 entries per year in your CPD record, reflect and record on 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. View the full standards and good practice guidance
The draft standards framework for the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has been made available by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE), for formal statutory consultation from 21 October 2009 until 12 January 2010. View the consultation document
When do GPhC standards come into force and what do these mean for me?
The final GPhC standards will come into force after the GPhC is established. Any entries made in your CPD record after the new standards come into force will need to comply with the new GPhC standards.
Making CPD entries
What is the difference between a record and an entry?
A CPD record is made up of several CPD entries which reflect bite-sized portions of your learning. (The CPD entries will start at any of the four phases in the CPD cycle but will always end at ‘Evaluation’).
I registered last month and have not started working yet; will I still have to complete nine CPD entries by 1st March 2010?
As a registered pharmacist/pharmacy technician you have a mandatory requirement under the Code of Ethics to comply with the CPD standards. While you are waiting to commence work you will no doubt undertake activities such as reading, researching, discussing relevant issues with other pharmacists, attending courses (which include this webinar), and preparing for interviews which may all result in CPD entries in your record.
What about entries made before 1st March 2009?
These entries will not be required to meet the CPD standards but would be expected to relate to previous guidance on CPD such as keeping a legible CPD record in an approved format.
I work part-time; how many CPD entries am I required to submit?
The CPD standards apply equally to all registrants irrespective of the number of hours worked.
I have made more than nine CPD entries in my record this year. Can I carry over the excess into next year towards next years’ minimum requirement?
Your CPD should meet your individual learning needs and this may lead to more than nine entries each year. You should aim to learn throughout your working career and continually keep entries in your CPD record to reflect that learning. If the regulator calls your record for review you will then be in a position to choose nine completed entries for each year.
Do I need to record my CPD electronically? May I continue to record on paper?
You can continue to make paper CPD entries but your entries must be submitted for review in a format that has been approved by the RPSGB and must comply with the guidelines for paper submission.
May I enter all the CPD entries into my online record in one go, may be once a year?
We advise you to make entries regularly and not leave them for long periods.
Some of my learning that started at reflection has not been applied yet to my practice. Can I submit these as part of my minimum nine entries?
The CPD standards state that you must record how your CPD has contributed to the quality or development of your practice. It is therefore best to choose entries which demonstrate this.
Do I have to start most entries at reflection?
You can start a CPD entry at any four points in the CPD cycle. (i.e. at reflection, planning, action or evaluation). The good practice guidance states that you should make some entries (i.e. more than one) that start at reflection.
I am a pharmacist living outside GB and not working in pharmacy environment. Do I need to undertake CPD?
If you are on the practising register you are required to comply with the current CPD standards even if you are overseas and working outside of the pharmacy profession.
Are there examples available online for different types of pharmacy practice?
There are case studies within plan and record for the different sectors of pharmacy practice. The current pilot webinars are practice specific and case studies form part of the presentations and discussions.
Pharmacy technicians’ case studies can also be found within plan and record.
I work in community pharmacy as a locum but my main role involves scientific and medical affairs within a pharmacy related environment. Should my CPD record relate mostly to my main employment?
Your CPD record should contain entries which reflect the entire context and scope of your practice as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician regardless of how long you spend in the various sectors. If you have annotations to your registration your entries would need to contain entries to reflect this too.
Do I need to maintain a portfolio of evidence from courses completed, topics read, lectures attended etc. If so, for how long do I need to keep these?
The Society’s standards and good practice guidance states that you should maintain a learning portfolio with records of attendance and key learning points from continuing education and notes of other learning. This is your personal record and while you may choose how long to keep the relevant evidences; it is best to be in a position to access these should the need arises.
I am a preparing for an examination in a medical related field. I wish to remain on the pharmacy register but could I defer undertaking CPD for now?
In preparing for your examination no doubt you are undertaking a great deal of learning that is relevant to pharmacy. You can therefore use various aspects of your learning to make CPD entries in your record. CPD has to be continuous and should not be deferred.
I have been making regular CPD entries but benefits to my practice may not be apparent for many months down the line. What should I do?
Start your CPD entries each time a learning takes place. You can go back at a later stage to complete the evaluation phase and the application of your learning.
When I make an entry of my learning from this webinar does my entry start at action or reflection?
You can start the entry at either action or reflection. If you have spent time reflecting then you should start at reflection. You may find it helpful to access CPD Online Version 4 which has an inbuilt wizard to assist you in identifying which point you should start the learning cycle. The wizard will appear when you start a new entry in your CPD record where at the bottom of the popup you can select "Show 'Where do I start?' wizard".
Can my employer/prospective employer ask the Society to see my CPD record?
An employer can not ask to see your personal record. All records submitted to the Regulator will remain confidential and will not be shared with external parties.
Some entries may take no more than half an hour e.g. answering a patient's question, whilst others may involve 10-20 hours of study/meetings etc. How can these be regarded as equal CPD entries?
It’s best to break your 10-20 hour study down into several CPD entries. This helps you to focus on specific learning objectives and will make the evaluation phase of the cycle easier.
As a self employed locum my learning does not often have high impact on an organisation - is this a problem?
No this is not a problem provided the learning has a degree of importance to you/your service users and allows you to improve the quality of your practice.
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CPD Recording system
Can I make CPD entries retrospectively?
CPD entries kept on a local PC or paper records can be transferred online. You can transfer entries back dated from 2004. You will need to answer the relevant prompt questions by transferring the information you have stored on your desktop computer. If you are using CPD desktop you may find that not all the information is transferable to your online record as this has undergone recent development to simplify the recording process.
How secure is my online CPD account? ge
Your online account is backed up externally by two secure sources. No one, including the Society, has access to your personal CPD account. You would need to give viewer access and assign user details if you wish to share your record with anyone.
I have recently experienced a problem whereby my entries could not be retrieved. What should I do?
You need to contact the CPD technical helpdesk on 01225 383 663 or helpdesk@coacs.com and an assistant will help to retrieve your CPD entries.
What will happen to my existing online CPD record when GPhC comes into being?
Your CPD record is personal to you and will remain yours after the GPhC comes into being. You will be able to access your record using personal user details.
How do I relate my CPD entries to the relevant competencies in plan and record?
The current regulatory reviewer criteria do not include competencies and therefore you can choose not to access these competencies. Competencies are an optional category within the recording system and you can select these by logging into your record and clicking on the “optional fields” button. You can then link one or more of the competencies to each of your CPD entries. You can also write your own competencies when making entries.
Uploading evidence materials to CPD online would be very useful to keep everything in one place. Can you make this happen?
We will be giving this some consideration when we review the recording site early next year.
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CPD Record submissions to the Regulator
Where can I find the information on CPD submissions?
You will find help and guidance on what to expect when your CPD record is called for review on the CPD Submissions page.
When do I have to submit my record?
When you are called for review you will receive a notification letter. There will be a submission deadline date six weeks from the date of your letter for the submission.
How many of us should expect to have our records called each year?
The Society is currently calling around 9-10,000 records per year. It aims to have called every registrant by the end of five years from now.
How often will I be called to submit my CPD record for review?
You should receive a call from the regulator every five years. However, individuals could be asked to submit their records more frequently.
Do we need to provide hard evidence to back up online CPD entries?
You would not be asked to routinely submit any evidence when submitting your record.
If I get a call letter this year how many entries will I be expected to submit?
If you are asked to submit your record before 1st March 2010 you will be expected to submit a proportion of the required nine entries for the year, depending on when your record is called. Your record should contain a maximum of twenty entries in total.
How far back can I go with my entries when called to submit?
You are advised to select entries from 2005 when CPD became mandatory or from the year of you were registered, if this happens to be after 2005. If this is not possible you may choose all 20 entries from recent times.
What if my CPD record gets called after the 1st March 2010?
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 09 and 1st March 2010 and these entries would all need to comply with the standards. You could 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 standards
If I am submitting paper entries do I still have six weeks to do this?
Once you receive your notification letter to submit your record you will need to request a paper submission pack by completing the paper submission reply slip. You need to do this as soon as possible so that you have the maximum time to prepare and send in your CPD record by the submission deadline date.
I plan to make a dual submission (i.e. some entries via CPD Online and some on paper), what should I do?
You will need to complete and send in the dual submission reply slip at the end of your notification letter. If you do not, the regulator will assume the first set of entries they receive (which is likely to be your online submission) as your whole submission. If you make a dual submission, at least five of your entries must be on paper. Please refer to the guidance sheet for dual submission which will be sent out to you with your notification letter.
What will happen if I miss my deadline?
You will be sent reminders from the regulator urging you to contact their CPD team. Failure to respond to a call for CPD review will be considered a breach of the Code of Ethics therefore you must respond.
I will not be able to meet my deadline due to circumstances beyond my control. What should I do?
You must contact the regulator‘s CPD team in advance of your deadline by calling 020 7572 2540 or by emailing CPDsubmissions@rpsgb.org. If you require an extension to your submission deadline the relevant paperwork (form CSE1) must be completed and sent in to the regulator with supporting evidence.
I am currently on extended sick leave. How many CPD entries am I expected to have make during this time?
You are exempt from making CPD entries during sick leave period but if your CPD record is called you would need to inform the regulator about your absence from work and complete form CIRN1 with relevant supporting documentation (like a letter from your employer or your doctor/hospital) to explain the break in service.
What sanctions are likely to be enforced for poor entries and how long will it take before one is referred to the Statutory Committee?
Poor entries will be communicated to you via your feedback report. You may be asked to re-submit your record within a defined time scale and may be called for review again within the five-year period. While no other action is currently being taken new policies may come into force once the GPhC is established.
I have only recently returned to/joined the practising register, so I haven’t got all the required entries for the last five years. If I am called to submit my record what should I do?
Please email the Society’s CPD team in regulation and complete form CIRN1 to clarify the gap in your CPD record.
Where I make a CPD entry relating to continuous learning (CE) with MCQs, will it be necessary for me to submit proof of having "passed" these tests?
You are not normally required to submit any evidence.
I am registered as a pharmacist in another country and get CE points for my learning to stay on that register, is this adequate for GB?
If you wish to be registered with the pharmacy regulator in GB you would need to fulfil the GB regulator’s CPD standards. You can use the learning activities undertaken to make entries in plan and record.
When I am recalled to submit my CPD record in five years’ time will I have to submit 45 entries?
With the current minimum requirement of nine entries, you would need to have a minimum of 45 CPD entries.
What happens if I don’t submit my CPD record within the six weeks?
You will receive reminders; however, if you fail to submit a CPD record when requested by the regulator and accept your failure to comply with the request, you will receive a warning letter from the Chief Inspector. This fact will stay on your registration record for five years. Obviously, if you continue not to submit your CPD record on request then this could lead to disciplinary action.
How and when will I receive feedback on my CPD record?
You can expect to receive your feedback within eight weeks of submission. If you have submitted via CPD Online, you may well receive your feedback sooner than this. If you submit via paper or CPD Desktop, your entries will be uploaded into your CPD Online account automatically. For all submissions, whether by paper, CPD Desktop, or CPD Online, an executive summary of your feedback will be sent through the post, but the main report will be available via your CPD Online account.
How do I submit my CPD record on line?
When you log on to CPD online after you have been called for review, you will see a message which reads: “Your CPD record has been called for review. You must submit your record to RPSGB by the date on your notification letter”. You will also see a new “submit” button appearing in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. You should click on this to select which entries you wish to submit for review. A screen will appear with some information regarding your submission and will take you through some questions. You will also be asked select if you wished to make a dual submission i.e. submit some entries online, and some on paper. Once you get to the point where all your CPD entries have been listed you are able to submit your record. Please note: your submission is final. You will not be able to submit further online entries after this point.
How can I track the progress of my submitted CPD record?
As soon as the review is complete and your feedback is posted online you will be able to view this by logging into your record and clicking on the “Review and Feedback” option on the main menu.
What will my feedback report look like?
The feedback report will make objective observations against the RPSGB’s review criteria and also allow you to compare how you fared compared with other pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Some of the information provided in your feedback report will be accompanied by a weather symbol that can show you at a glance how you have done.
Other parts of your feedback report will be personal to your own circumstances. In these cases the Society will provide you with data showing the patterns that your record shows, accompanied by useful information and observations attached to them. The feedback generally affirms how well you are doing in recording your CPD. If your report highlights areas for improvement you will be able to use this information constructively to plan your future CPD.
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