The South African Pharmacy Council has published revised competency standards for pharmacists for public comment.
As the statutory body responsible for regulating the pharmacy profession in South Africa, the Pharmacy Council first developed a competency framework for pharmacists in 2006. Following a review process, those competency standards are now being revised to bring them in line with current practice, having regard to changes to formal qualifications and global competency standards and trends in pharmacy practice. This includes new technologies and processes designed to enhance public safety.
The competency standards framework consists of six related domains, each of which constitutes an organised cluster of competencies suitable for the South African context. The domains include the safe and rational use of medicines and medical devices as well as public health.
The framework is intended to influence and inform the scope of practice for registered pharmacists in South Africa as well as the continuing professional development (CPD) and advanced learning requirements for pharmacists in different sectors of healthcare practice.
The closing date for comments is 15 October 2017.
Because pharmacists practice in a variety of practice settings, each professional must evaluate whether or not a specific competency standard applies to their practice. Please contact any member of our life sciences team for assistance with any aspect of the revised competency standards affecting your enterprise or to prepare and submit comments.