FAQs - Retirement of CPD standards

The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) announces the upcoming cessation of the accreditation of CPD activities and the retirement of the Accreditation Standards for Continuing Professional Development Activities (2013). The standards have been used by CPD accrediting organisations to accredit CPD activities.

See full media release.

APC transition plan

The APC acknowledge the cessation of APC accredited CPD is a substantial change for pharmacists. To assist in the transition, the following plan is in place:

• The accreditation period for all organisations who are accredited by the APC to undertake CPD activity accreditation will end on 31 December 2025.
• CPD accrediting organisations may continue to accredit CPD activities until 31 December 2025 using the APC Accreditation Standards for Continuing Professional Development Activities.
• Accreditation of activities may be granted for up to 3 years in accordance with the existing CPD accrediting organisation policy/procedure.
• We will be retiring the APC Accreditation Standards for Continuing Professional Development Activities, from 31 December 2025. After this date, they cannot to be used for accreditation of CPD activities.

FAQs for practising professionals

Our aim is to support the profession during this transition. We have worked with our stakeholders to develop some FAQs which may help you understand how this change may impact you. 

If your questions are not answered here, please email us at accreditation@pharmacycouncil.org.au and we will endeavor to assist you/update the FAQs in line with your feedback.

I have enrolled in an accredited CPD activity.  How does this impact me?

If the activity is already accredited, it will remain so until the accreditation expiry date of the activity. 

I have booked an accredited CPD activity: Will I still be able to record my CPD hours when I complete it? 

Yes.  All activities currently accredited will remain so until the accreditation expiry date of the activity.  The Pharmacy Board of Australia does not require an activity to be accredited for it to be recorded.

Without APC’s accreditation, how will I know if a CPD activity is good quality? 

It is important for you as a pharmacist to determine your professional development needs relevant to your scope of practice and the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists.  It is the responsibility of the individual pharmacist to assess potential activities for quality, suitability and relevance. We encourage you to speak to your colleagues, membership bodies and networks to help you choose activities that align with your goals.

I currently look for the accreditation logo as an assurance of quality of an activity, what should I do when that no longer exists? 

There will still be CPD activity providers you know and trust.  It is expected you will continue to undertake activities that meet the needs of your planned CPD without accreditation. 

Where can I go for information on CPD activities? 

Your usual CPD activity providers will continue to deliver education and will remain a source of information for you. Refer to the Pharmacy Board of Australia website for information on annual professional development requirements for registered pharmacists.   

I thought all CPD activities had to be accredited? 

The Pharmacy Board of Australia’s Registration Standard: Continuing Professional Development (2015) does not specify that CPD activities needs to be accredited. The Board’s Guidelines on continuing professional development (2015) states “Note: At this stage the Board has not set a mandatory requirement for a proportion of a pharmacist’s CPD activities to be accredited CPD. However, it may choose to do so following a subsequent review of these guidelines.” 

How do I record my CPD if it is not accredited? 

Since 2015 the Pharmacy Board has allowed pharmacists to undertake and record unaccredited CPD activities.  The Pharmacy Board website gives more detail on annual CPD requirements.