Raminder Sihota

Introduction

This chapter is designed to develop an understanding of continuing professional development (CPD) and to consider the importance to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians of individual active engagement in an ongoing programme of CPD.

In the UK and many other countries, CPD is mandatory for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. It is relevant to all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, whether experienced or newly qualified and just starting a career, or working full-time or part-time. CPD is part of being a professional with an obligation on all to continue to enhance their own knowledge and skills throughout their career and working life.

CPD is related to, and indeed part of, clinical governance (see Ch. 9). Clinical governance is about both continuous quality improvement and being accountable for quality improvement. As such, CPD is an integral part of clinical governance and it involves all healthcare professionals. Those healthcare professionals working in the UK NHS will find there are specific requirements for clinical governance and CPD, which are mandatory. The Community Pharmacy Contract (England) with the NHS states a clear need for community pharmacists to be undertaking and maintaining CPD records within the clinical governance requirements. In addition to this in the UK, the Standards of conduct, ethics and performance of the GPhC places further obligations on pharmacists. Before any service is offered, whether to prescribers, patients or others, a pharmacist must ensure that whoever is delivering the service has a relevant level of competence, skill or knowledge in that area. CPD allows the pharmacist to provide evidence and demonstrate competence.

What is continuing professional development?

The NHS defines it as ‘a process of lifelong learning for all individuals and teams which meets the needs of patients and delivers the health outcomes and healthcare priorities of the NHS and which enables professionals to expand and fulfill their potential’ (DH 1998). While this definition is accurate, it is somewhat lengthy. An easier option is to consider the three words individually:

CPD can be defined as the process of reflection, planning, action and evaluation through which pharmacists and pharmacy technicians continuously develop their knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours throughout their professional careers.

The UK former pharmacy regulator (Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain) introduced a framework for CPD for pharmacists in 2002 in response to the requirements of the Health Act 1999.

Today, the concept of CPD is becoming a familiar process for the pharmacy profession. There is a formal (GPhC) requirement for CPD records to be completed and retained for the duration of a person’s registration in order to demonstrate their competence to undertake the role they are working in at the time.

CPD gives a pharmacist and pharmacy technician the opportunity to demonstrate to their employer, the NHS, and to patients, that they are maintaining and building their own professional capability.

CPD cycle

CPD is defined as a systematic, ongoing, cyclical process of self-directed learning. It should enable pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to do their job more effectively and involves employers as well as individuals.

CPD is a four-stage process which helps individuals plan their learning and track, record and reflect on learning and development. The learning may be clinical or related to a skill, attitude or behaviour associated with their role. The four stages are often depicted as a cyclical process. The GPhC recording system is based on the four stages of the CPD cycle.

The four stages of the cycle are shown in Figure 6.1 and involve:

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