Welcome to the Continuing Professional Development pages of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.

 

CPD is a systematic, ongoing cyclical process of self-directed learning. It includes everything a pharmacist learns which enables them to do their job (current or future) more effectively.
This four stage cycle comprises of reflection (identification of learning needs), planning (what activities will be undertaken to meet the learning needs and when?), action (documenting what was learned) and evaluation (deciding if learning needs were met and how this has been used in professional practice).
For record keeping purposes, pharmacists should document all four stages of the cycle for planned (scheduled) learning.

You can record your CPD on-line at http://www.nicpld.org/  You will need your PSNI number to register.

 

As advocates of best practice, the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland has introduced continuing professional development [CPD] as a professional requirement from 1st June 2005 for all pharmacists registered in Northern Ireland as part of a system of good clinical governance 

The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) as the overarching body responsible for regulating all the healthcare regulators.
It is committed to protecting the public by

• helping the regulators to improve their performance
• setting and driving up standards for health professions regulation
• encouraging greater consistency of regulatory practice and outcomes
• shaping future developments in the regulation of health professions.

When assessing their CPD requirements, the Society recommends that pharmacists should consider how their identified training and subsequent learning contributes to patient safety.

CPD is now a professional requirement for all pharmacists.

You may be randomly selected to submit your evidence.  As a key ethical and professional obligation, compliance with CPD is also considered on a number of other occasions, if for example a complaint is made against you.  You will be required on annual registration to complete a self-declaration form stating that you have undertaken 30 hours of CPD.

 

Dr. Deirdre McAree - Post Registration Facilitator
Email: deirdre.mcaree@psni.org.uk

 

 

 CPD Newsletter articles and other publications are available to read here.