The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 requires pharmacists to have a mechanism to demonstrate that they are competent and fit to practice. It is internationally accepted that all health professionals must be committed to lifelong learning throughout their professional life so that they are able to maintain their competence, and also to develop and adapt their practice to the ever changing health environment.

ENHANCE is, at present, the only recertification programme for pharmacists accredited by the Pharmacy Council of NZ that allows pharmacists to demonstrate that they are maintaining their competence to practice, through participation in relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD).  This is compulsory for recertification each March.

If you would like more information or to enrol into the ENHANCE CPD Programme, contact Liz Johnstone at enhance@psnz.org.nz

THE COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK

There are seven standards, written by NZ pharmacists for NZ Pharmacists, and each covers a broad area of pharmacy practice.  Each standard lists the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours necessary for competence in that particular area of pharmacy practice, and define the minimum standards for registration in the pharmacist scope of practice. 

The standards are:

1. Practise pharmacy in a professional and culturally competent manner

    professional, legal, ethical and cultural competence responsibilities of the pharmacist

2. Contribute to the quality use of medicines

    selection, monitoring and evaluation of medicine therapy

3. Provide primary health care

    encouraging and assisting people to take responsibility for their own health

4. Apply management and organisational skills

    general organisation and management skills

5. Research and provide information

    accessing, providing and generating pharmacy information

6. Dispense medicines

    the supply of medicines,  including counselling patients about their medicines

7. Prepare pharmaceutical products

    preparation of pharmaceutical products

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The ENHANCE programme is a competence-based Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for pharmacists currently registered in the pharmacist scope of practice, practising in New Zealand. It allows them to demonstrate that they are maintaining their fitness to practise by providing the mechanism for pharmacists to assess their practice against the Competence Standards and identify any required learning, and meet the annual recertification requirements required by the Pharmacy Council of NZ.

ENHANCE follows the four steps in the CPD cycle - Reflection, Planning, Action and Outcomes

Reflection  Determine which competence standards are relevant to practice Assess competence against these Competence Standards Identify CPD needs. Planning Develop identified CPD needs into learning plans Identify required resources Action    Implement the planned learning Outcomes    Evaluate and document the outcomes of learning and continue the cycle