A new era in CPD: PSA accredited CPD launched

CPD
By
Nick Lahart
-

PSA has launched CPD Standards, ensuring high-quality continued learning for pharmacists in contemporary professional environments.

On 31 December 2025, the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) retired its Accreditation Standards for Continuing Professional Development Activities.

For several years, these standards supported pharmacists by assuring continuing professional development (CPD) met quality education expectations.

Recognising the need for pharmacists and CPD providers to continue to be able to access clear and robust CPD standards and guidance, PSA published the PSA Standards for Continuing Professional Development for Pharmacists (the Standards). The release coincided with the launch of PSA Accredited CPD in January 2026.

CPD providers can now submit CPD activities for assessment under this framework using the new Standards.

What’s included in the new Standards?

The new Standards present an outcomes-based, practical focus to CPD for pharmacists. They support the applicability of CPD to contemporary pharmacy practice, encouraging key concepts like cultural safety and social accountability to be considered in activity design and development.

How will the new Standards be used?

PSA’s new Standards will be used to assess that CPD activities meet expectations of quality education. CPD activities developed internally by PSA or developed by external CPD providers will be subject to the same assessment and standards under PSA’s accreditation scheme. They can also assist pharmacists in self-assessing the quality of an activity for CPD self-recording.

What do these changes mean for pharmacists?

Registered pharmacists in Australia must meet the Pharmacy Board’s Registration Standard: CPD.1

Nick Lahart (he/him) is a PSA Professional Practice Pharmacist based in Sydney.

The new standards will ensure the needs of pharmacist learners are met by setting an expectation for education that is evidence-based, balanced and supports learners in acquiring new knowledge and skills relevant for the workplace, enhancing pharmacists’ CPD learning experience. Look out for the new logo (at the top of this page) which confirms PSA has accredited the activity against the new standards.

Where can I get more information on PSA Accredited CPD?

You can log onto our website at: www.psa.org.au/cpd/cpd-accreditation/ for more information.

Any general enquiries about PSA Accredited CPD can be directed to cpdaccreditation@psa.org.au

References

  1. Pharmacy Board of Australia. Registration Standard: Continuing Professional Development. 2015. At: www.pharmacyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx