THE Pharmacy Board of Australia has confirmed that it will not take any action during the current registration period if pharmacists are unable to meet the Continuing Professional Development Standard due to COVID-19.
An update on the Board's response to the crisis has noted that it is aware that the current situation is impacting on registered health practitioners' CPD in various ways, including where CPD events or leave are cancelled.
"The Board encourages practitioners to continue CPD relevant to their practice where possible... in responding to the needs of the public during this emergency, pharmacists are likely to encounter issues that require investigation, research and learning and these efforts can be documented for inclusion in CPD records," the Board said.
"We do not want CPD requirements to take practitioners away from clinical care, or cause additional concerns to practitioners already under pressure due to COVID-19.
"Accordingly, if a pharmacist can't meet the CPD standard because of the COVID-19 emergency, then we won't take any action for the registration period during which the COVID-19 emergency is in force; there will be no need to apply for an exemption," the Board update states.
Urgent meetings will also take place this week with the Australian Pharmacy Council and the Council of Pharmacy Schools to "identify impacts on students and interns and to identify suitable measures to support them to meet learning outcomes during COVID-19," with further updates promised ASAP.
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