Irish Institute of Pharmacy
Report by Dr Catriona Bradley, Executive Director, Irish Institute of Pharmacy
RCSI is the managing body for the Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP), appointed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI: The Pharmacy Regulator). IIOP manages the statutory CPD system for pharmacists in Ireland and supports the development of pharmacy practice.
In 2024/25, IIOP continued to meet the Regulator’s objective of assuring the quality of pharmacist CPD and the Department of Health’s objective of providing pharmacists with access to high-quality resources to support evolving pharmacy practice.
ePortfolio review
ePortfolio Review ensures pharmacists demonstrate ongoing CPD engagement, in line with legislative requirements. The 2024/25 process involved 1,391 pharmacists, with 98% meeting the required standard.
Training programmes and information resources
The IIOP delivered 26 online training programmes and over 40 peer support workshops this year. In response to the Expert Taskforce on the Expansion of the Role of Pharmacy, the IIOP commissioned a suite of prescription extension resources. A project team from the RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences developed the resources, including three online workshops held in autumn 2024.
In September, the IIOP collaborated with the National Cancer Control Programme to launch the Cancer Care Hub information resource. The IIOP’s Mentoring Programme continued to flourish and launched its seventh cycle in May. Following a successful pilot, a second eight-week phase of the LIFT leadership roundtable programme was also launched in May.
In June, the IIOP celebrated its 100th webinar in the ‘In Conversation With...’ series, launched in 2020. The series continues to unite experts and enthusiasts to explore topics reflecting the profession’s evolving needs.
Engagement activities
Throughout the year, the IIOP collaborated on numerous national projects, including the Department of Health’s Pharmacy Expert Taskforce, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI)’s Workforce Working Group and initiatives with the National Cancer Control Programme and HSE Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control to deliver resources for pharmacists.
Webinar series contributors included representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, HSE Medicines Management Programme, the Department of Health, the PSI and the Irish Medicines Verifications Organisation.
To support pharmacy students, the IIOP presented at the APPEL-Future of PharmacIE conference in November 2024 on understanding CPD requirements for early-career pharmacists. It also hosted the ‘Next Generation Pharmacy’ event during RCSI Charter Week 2025, bringing together experts from across pharmacy to consider emerging challenges and opportunities.
With government commitment to enhancing the scope of pharmacists’ roles, the IIOP looks forward to continuing its support for pharmacists as they deliver new services to patients.