The Pharmacy Act 2007 requires that all pharmacists must undertake continuing professional development (CPD). CPD is a continual process of lifelong learning which is focused on implementing learning within professional practice and improving outcomes for patients. CPD involves maintaining appropriate experience in the practice of pharmacy, keeping up-to-date with continuing education and professional competency and undertaking appropriate development and training opportunities that are relevant to the practice of pharmacy. The PSI (Continuing Professional Development) Rules 2015 and 2025 set out the CPD obligations for pharmacists, including that they must maintain a record of their CPD in an online ePortfolio and demonstrate evidence of this to the Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP) on request. This is achieved through submission of an extract of their ePortfolio for review via their IIOP portal. The review process has recently evolved (previously occurring every five years and beginning after three years of registration) and now operates as an annual cycle that includes recently registered pharmacists.

From 2027, pharmacists will be required to submit their ePortfolio extract annually. For the 2027 review, any pharmacist who is on the Register before 1 January 2026 will be required to submit their ePortfolio extract. More information can be found on the ePortfolio Review Information Page.

The Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP)

The IIOP was established by the PSI in 2013 to oversee the development and management of the CPD system for pharmacists in Ireland. The IIOP’s aim is to support pharmacists in meeting the requirements of legislation, through the provision of the ePortfolio tool, facilitation of the ePortfolio review process and through additional developmental support as required. The Institute supports pharmacists to engage with CPD and commissions education and training programmes in line with national policy.

Further information about the IIOP is available on their website: Role of the Institute.

CPD system for pharmacists in Ireland

The following video gives an overview of the CPD Model for Pharmacists in Ireland CPD Model for Pharmacists and the role of the IIOP

The CPD Model is a portfolio-based self-reflective model that allows pharmacists to employ a wide range of learning methods to meet their individual learning needs. The system is not based on a traditional CPD points or accumulation of contact hours. The system is flexible, enabling demonstration of professional development in a style that best suits each individual. A pharmacist's development should encompass a balanced range of activities. The IIOP website gives registered pharmacists access to a wide range of training programmes, courses and events that could form part of their CPD, and be logged in their ePortfolio. The following video provides more information about ePortfolio and the ePortfolio Review process An Introduction to the IIOP ePortfolio