Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who are due to submit revalidation records between December this year and February next year will only need to submit a reflective account, the GPhC has said.  

The regulator is carrying over the changes to its revalidation requirements that it first introduced in March 2020 in order to recognise the pressures facing pharmacy professionals during the pandemic.  

Registrants are expected to reflect on one more of the following three standards: Standard 3 – Pharmacy professionals must communicate effectively; Standard 6 – Pharmacy professionals must behave professionally; and Standard 9 – Pharmacy professionals must demonstrate leadership.

The regulator is encouraging registrants to reflect on their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic when completing their reflective account.  

GPhC chief Duncan Rudkin said: “We have decided to keep in place the changes to revalidation requirements, as we recognise pharmacy professionals will continue to face significant pressures over the winter period as the pandemic continues.

“This extension will continue until at least the end of February 2022. We will give pharmacy professionals a minimum of three months’ notice of when full revalidation requirements will be reintroduced, to give pharmacists and pharmacy professionals a reasonable amount of time to get their records ready for submission.

“Our current intention is to resume full revalidation once the emergency powers for the pandemic introduced by the secretary of state for health and social care, but we will continue to keep this under active review.”