Returning to a familiar role

If your are returning to the familiar surroundings of your previous place of work or if you are returning to the same sector of practice, your transition may simply require you to re-familiarise yourself with learning resources such as the Pharmaceutical Journal and keep abreast of changes within the profession during your absence through the Support section of our website. You could, for example, read the latest practice guidance materials.

Changing/different area of practice

If you are changing your area of practice or moving to a different pharmacy sector, you might need to think about how your CPD focus will change.

What you learn and how you use this new information in another area of practice, will be important factors to consider when recording CPD. It is worth remembering that you will have a number of transferable skills. The following website will help you identify skills you may have developed outside the workplace.

Returning after a long absence

If you are returning to practice having been off the register (on the non-practising  register) it may be useful for you to familiarise  yourself with what it means to be a 'practising pharmacist' at the current time and what this will mean after de-merger.

Later this year the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) will be established which will take over regulation of the profession.The GPhC will be responsible for the register and after de-merger the non-practising register will cease to exist. The Society’s role will be to represent the professional interests of its members through leadership, support and development.

Whatever your situation, the important factor that you will need to consider is ‘do you feel confident that you are practising in a safe and competent way?’ Whether you are returning after a short break or have had a substantial period of absence from practice, a review of the Code of Ethics is a good way of reconfirming what you know. The Code of Ethics is the Society’s guidance on conduct, practice and professional performance and to date the only professional standards of behaviour to be observed by those on the practising register who are returning to practice.

Our Return to Practice service will enable you to return to practice with confidence as a competent, safe, effective practitioner for the benefit of the patients and the public.

The following case studies describe the return to practice journeys for a variety of pharmacists, click here to view their stories.