Reminder that competencies lists are only a starting point
The recently revised
lists of competencies for continuing professional development (PJ, 5 February, p156) are only a starting point, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says. Practising pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should amend the lists to suit their own practice.
Commenting on the updates, CPD officer Fred Ayling said: “The new
competencies reflect current practice more accurately and will allow
the Society to review pharmacists’ CPD records more effectively
and provide more meaningful feedback.
“Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are reminded that the competencies
presented in the CPD system are indicative and only intended as a starting
point. They are encouraged to switch off competencies that do not apply
to them … and to add their own competencies where there appear to
be gaps.
“Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are not expected to demonstrate
learning against all of the competencies that apply
to them. It is a matter of prioritisation and focusing on those most
in need of development. Competencies are there to help pharmacists and
pharmacy technicians identify learning needs and to demonstrate how their
learning applies to roles they undertake or intend to undertake.”
The revised lists of competencies reflect feedback from users who believed
that the existing lists did not necessarily reflect current practice.
The general competencies and those for community and hospital pharmacists
have been updated and new competencies have been included for primary
care, medicines management, supplementary prescribing, medical information,
academia and industry.
Copies of the new competencies are available from the Society’s
CPD unit (e-mail cpd@rpsgb.org; tel 020 7572 2540) or can be downloaded
in PDF format from the Society’s CPD website (www.uptodate.org.uk).
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