Pharmacy Technician CPD: GPhC Requirements Explained

Pharmacy technician CPD in Great Britain is not measured in hours. Under the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) revalidation framework, pharmacy technicians must carry out and record four CPD records, one peer discussion record and one reflective account each year, and submit them as part of renewing their registration. According to the GPhC, the requirements are the same as for pharmacists: its revalidation pages set no separate CPD rules for technicians.

This guide covers what that means in practice for pharmacy technicians on the GPhC register. It is written for England, Scotland and Wales, where the GPhC is the regulator. Northern Ireland has a separate regulator, the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, whose CPD framework, as we checked it, is described for pharmacists. If you work there, check with them directly.

What pharmacy technicians must do each year

The GPhC states that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must record what they have done to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Each year that means:

• four CPD records
• one peer discussion record
• one reflective account record, reflecting against any of the nine standards for pharmacy professionals

The GPhC revalidation page adds that at least one of your six records must reflect on any annotation or specialist role you hold.

Planned and unplanned CPD

The GPhC says at least two of your four CPD entries must be planned. Planned CPD includes activities such as attending a training course or reading relevant resources. Unplanned CPD is learning that arises during everyday work, such as from a meeting or a patient query.

For each entry you describe what you learned and give an example of how it benefited the people using your services. You do not need to link CPD records to the standards for pharmacy professionals. The GPhC FAQs say you do not need to reflect on those standards for your four CPD records. The same record structure applies to pharmacists, so our guide to GPhC CPD requirements for pharmacists is a useful companion.

You can record entries in myGPhC as you go, or note them elsewhere and transfer them later. The GPhC also offers downloadable planned and unplanned learning record forms.

The peer discussion

According to the GPhC's peer discussion guide, you choose your peer and nobody can assign one to you. Almost anyone can be a peer, including another health or social care professional or someone from a different background, but not someone with whom you have a close personal relationship that could stop either of you being objective, or someone with a conflict of interest. Your peer should understand your practice well enough to ask useful questions.

The guide says the discussion typically lasts about an hour. It can be in person, by phone, by video or by webchat, and your peer can be based outside the UK. Your record does not need to cover the details of the conversation. It should focus on how the discussion changed your practice for the benefit of the people using your services. Your peer must agree to be named and contacted if your records are selected for review. More on this is in our post on GPhC peer discussion and revalidation changes.

The reflective account

From 1 January 2026, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can reflect against any of the nine standards for pharmacy professionals. Before that, the GPhC set which standards to use. The change applies to accounts submitted on or after 1 January 2026.

The GPhC FAQs ask for a brief description of your work area and typical service users, plus real examples, without naming your workplace. The nine standards, as the GPhC words them, say pharmacy professionals must:

• provide person-centred care
• work in partnership with others
• communicate effectively
• maintain, develop and use professional knowledge and skills
• use professional judgement
• behave in a professional manner
• respect and maintain the person's confidentiality and privacy
• speak up when they have concerns or when things go wrong
• demonstrate leadership

Dual registrants, specialist roles and breaks in practice

If you are registered as both a pharmacist and a pharmacy technician, the revalidation framework says you keep records covering both practices but submit your six records once a year, at pharmacist renewal. If you have several roles or specialisms, the framework expects your records to reflect that breadth.

In July 2026 the GPhC published updated advice and examples for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in specialist and/or leadership roles, along with new examples and FAQs. It said the requirement itself is unchanged.

If you have had a break in practice, the GPhC FAQs say it expects a minimum of one planned CPD entry and one completed reflective account. If you cannot meet the full requirements for another reason, the GPhC says to tell it through myGPhC as early as possible rather than at renewal time, with evidence. It may then give an extension or a reduced number of records. It notes that long holidays or intermittent part-time locum work are not treated as exceptional circumstances.

Renewal and what happens if you miss it

The GPhC renewal page says you must renew and submit your revalidation record at least two months before your registration expires, and that this is required by law. Renewal also needs a fitness-to-practise declaration, agreement to the renewal declarations and payment of the fee. The same page lists the pharmacy technician renewal fee as £146 (it gives no effective date, so check the page for the current figure). If you do not renew you will be removed from the register and cannot practise.

Your registration expiry date is shown in your myGPhC account. Do not assume it matches a colleague's.

What happens if your records are selected

The GPhC says a pharmacy professional and a lay reviewer assess anonymised copies of your records together. Feedback can take up to six weeks. If you meet the criteria, your records will not be reviewed again for two years.

The GPhC also has a statement on using AI in revalidation. It says AI can help with tasks such as checking grammar, but it is not appropriate to use AI to create full revalidation submissions, and you remain accountable for what you submit.

Frequently asked questions

Do pharmacy technicians need a set number of CPD hours?

The GPhC pages we reviewed do not set hours. The requirement is expressed in records: four CPD, one peer discussion and one reflective account each year.

Are the requirements different from pharmacists'?

According to the GPhC, no. Its revalidation page and framework do not set separate CPD requirements for technicians. The renewal fee differs.

Can my employer require me to use my appraisal as my peer discussion?

The revalidation framework says an employer cannot require the peer discussion to be part of your appraisal.

When should I do my revalidation activities?

The GPhC says you can complete them at any time during your registration year and that you should carry them out as part of your everyday work. It suggests submitting as soon as the renewal window opens in myGPhC.

Keeping it manageable

Little and often works. A short note after a useful training session, a tricky query or a team meeting is much easier than reconstructing the year at renewal. For more guides across professions, see the Learnsignal CPD hub.

This article is general information, not regulatory, legal or compliance advice. Always check current requirements with the General Pharmaceutical Council.