A concern raised with the Pharmacy Board? Here's how to respond.
Professionalism and ethics CPD for pharmacists, aligned with the Pharmacy Board code and today's expanding scope of practice. Complete your routine CPD, or evidence your reply to a dispensing, supply or prescribing concern.
- Mapped directly to Pharmacy Board standards and the National Law
- Instant certificate as CPD evidence you can keep and submit
- Written for the Australian regulatory context, not generic CPD
- From A$99 per course, no subscription
Pharmacy Board of Australia
Every board sets standards under the National Law and manages notifications about conduct, performance and health. Content here is written to the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct.
- 1Dispensing accuracy and error response
- 2Controlled substances and safe supply
- 3Advertising, conflicts of interest and scope
PBA focus areas in 2024/25
Pharmacy is in the middle of its biggest scope expansion in a generation, and new authority brings new regulatory expectation.
Expanded scope and prescribing
Pharmacist prescribing became permanent in Queensland from 1 July 2025 and is expanding across Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and other states, so prescribing within competence and documenting decisions matters more than ever.
Dispensing accuracy and supply
Dispensing errors and the safe supply of controlled substances remain core to pharmacy notifications.
Supervised practice framework
The Pharmacy Board adopted the supervised practice framework for health, conduct and performance concerns from 29 November 2024.
Which ethics course do pharmacists need first?
Pick your situation, from routine CPD to a live PBA notification, and get a path mapped to the Pharmacy Board of Australia standards.
Keep your ethics and professionalism current
Refresh the areas boards weigh most, before any concern arises. A solid annual set for pharmacists:
Ethics and Ethical Standards for Pharmacists
Core course for pharmacists, written to the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct.
- Covers: The ethical standards in the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct
- Best for: pharmacists meeting core ethics expectations
- Evidence: Alignment with Pharmacy Board of Australia standards
Professionalism and Professional Standards for Pharmacists
Core course for pharmacists, written to the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct.
- Covers: The professional standards in the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct
- Best for: pharmacists meeting core professionalism expectations
- Evidence: Alignment with Pharmacy Board of Australia standards
Ethics for Healthcare Professionals
A grounding in the ethical reasoning every code of conduct assumes you can apply.
- Covers: The core ethical principles behind every code of conduct
- Best for: A foundation for all other ethics CPD
- Evidence: Sound ethical reasoning
Professional Boundaries for Clinicians
Hold the therapeutic boundary under pressure, in person and online.
- Covers: Holding the therapeutic boundary, in person and online
- Best for: High-pressure clinical relationships
- Evidence: Maintained professional boundaries
Professionalism in Documentation for Healthcare Professionals
Records that stand up to scrutiny: contemporaneous, accurate and complete.
- Covers: Contemporaneous, accurate and complete records
- Best for: Records that withstand scrutiny
- Evidence: Defensible documentation
Evidence insight, reflection and remediation
Contact your indemnity insurer first. Then build the documented response a National Board looks for, in order:
Fitness to Practise for Healthcare Professionals
Understand what a board means by fitness to practise: health, conduct and performance.
- Covers: What a board means by fitness to practise: health, conduct, performance
- Best for: Anyone facing or preparing for a notification
- Evidence: Understanding of the process and your obligations
Module on Insight
Show a regulator you genuinely understand what happened and why it mattered.
- Covers: Demonstrating genuine understanding of what happened
- Best for: Building the insight a board looks for
- Evidence: Documented insight
Module on Reflection
Turn an incident into documented, credible reflective practice.
- Covers: Turning an incident into credible reflective practice
- Best for: Creating a documented reflective record
- Evidence: Structured reflection
Module on Remediation
Evidence the concrete steps you have taken so a concern will not recur.
- Covers: Evidencing the concrete steps you have taken
- Best for: Showing change after a concern
- Evidence: Completed remediation
How to Deal with a Notification or Investigation
A calm, staged approach to the process from first letter to outcome.
- Covers: A staged approach from first letter to outcome
- Best for: Practitioners currently in the process
- Evidence: A calm, structured response
Reduce the risk of a complaint or notification
The everyday habits and records that keep concerns from ever reaching a board:
How to Avoid a Complaint or Notification
The everyday habits that keep concerns from ever reaching a board.
- Covers: The everyday habits that keep concerns from arising
- Best for: Proactive risk reduction
- Evidence: A preventative approach to practice
Professional Boundaries for Clinicians
Hold the therapeutic boundary under pressure, in person and online.
- Covers: Holding the therapeutic boundary, in person and online
- Best for: High-pressure clinical relationships
- Evidence: Maintained professional boundaries
Professionalism in Documentation for Healthcare Professionals
Records that stand up to scrutiny: contemporaneous, accurate and complete.
- Covers: Contemporaneous, accurate and complete records
- Best for: Records that withstand scrutiny
- Evidence: Defensible documentation
Ensuring Effective Communication as Healthcare Professionals
Prevent the miscommunication that sits behind a large share of complaints.
- Covers: Clear communication with patients and colleagues
- Best for: Preventing communication-related complaints
- Evidence: Patient-centred communication skills
Ethical Boundaries with Patients and Colleagues
Read the warning signs early, before a boundary concern becomes a notification.
- Covers: Recognising and holding professional boundaries
- Best for: Spotting the early warning signs of a boundary issue
- Evidence: Clear boundary-setting in practice
Equip your whole team, across any profession
Bulk pricing covers individual practitioners and teams. Mix professions freely, every course stays board-aligned.
Two core CPD courses written for Pharmacists
Start with an Ethics and a Professionalism course mapped directly to the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct. The rest of the catalogue builds on these two.
Ethics and Ethical Standards for Pharmacists
Written to the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct. The anchor course for pharmacists, to pair with the five categories below.
Professionalism and Professional Standards for Pharmacists
Written to the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct. The anchor course for pharmacists, to pair with the five categories below.
Ethics and professionalism courses, grouped by what Pharmacy Board sees most
Pharmacy Board of Australia notifications rarely turn on clinical skill alone. These five groups mirror the areas boards weigh in practice, so pharmacists can go straight to the concern that matters and add any course to the cart.
Ethics, Conduct and Confidentiality
Most notifications turn on conduct and professionalism, not clinical skill alone. This category covers the ethical reasoning, confidentiality and respect that every National Board code of conduct assumes you can apply.
Ethics for Healthcare Professionals
A grounding in the ethical reasoning every code of conduct assumes you can apply.
- Covers: The core ethical principles behind every code of conduct
- Best for: A foundation for all other ethics CPD
- Evidence: Sound ethical reasoning
Medical Ethics for Healthcare Professionals
Consent, capacity, end-of-life and the hard calls, worked through in real scenarios.
- Covers: Consent, capacity and end-of-life decisions
- Best for: Navigating complex clinical-ethical calls
- Evidence: Applied ethical decision-making
Professional Ethics
The principles underneath every board decision, in plain terms.
- Covers: The principles underneath board decisions, in plain terms
- Best for: A plain-language ethics grounding
- Evidence: Professional ethical awareness
Ensuring Confidentiality in Healthcare Practice
Handle records, disclosures and privacy in line with the National Law and your code.
- Covers: Privacy, consent to disclose and record handling
- Best for: Anyone managing sensitive patient information
- Evidence: Understanding of confidentiality obligations
Ensuring Dignity and Non-Discrimination as Healthcare Professionals
Meet expectations on respect, cultural safety and equitable care for every patient.
- Covers: Respect, cultural safety and equitable care
- Best for: Meeting expectations on dignity and inclusion
- Evidence: Respectful, non-discriminatory practice
Professional Boundaries
Boundary and sexual-boundary notifications rose 72 per cent to 1,991 in 2024/25, climbing across every profession. Clear, documented limits, in person and online, protect both you and your patients.
Ethical Boundaries with Patients and Colleagues
Read the warning signs early, before a boundary concern becomes a notification.
- Covers: Recognising and holding professional boundaries
- Best for: Spotting the early warning signs of a boundary issue
- Evidence: Clear boundary-setting in practice
Professional Boundaries for Clinicians
Hold the therapeutic boundary under pressure, in person and online.
- Covers: Holding the therapeutic boundary, in person and online
- Best for: High-pressure clinical relationships
- Evidence: Maintained professional boundaries
Professionalism and Boundaries in the Use of Social Media
Post without putting your registration at risk: testimonials, patients and privacy.
- Covers: Posting without putting your registration at risk
- Best for: Anyone active on social media
- Evidence: Safe social-media conduct
Professionalism for Healthcare Professionals
What professionalism looks like day to day, beyond the clinical task.
- Covers: Day-to-day professionalism beyond the clinical task
- Best for: Reinforcing professional behaviour
- Evidence: Consistent professional conduct
Probity, Honesty and Records
Boards treat honesty as non-negotiable. Billing, advertising, open disclosure and accurate records all sit here, and dishonesty escalates a matter faster than almost anything else.
Financial Integrity for Healthcare Professionals
Billing, gifts and conflicts of interest handled transparently and defensibly.
- Covers: Billing, gifts and conflicts of interest
- Best for: Transparent, defensible financial conduct
- Evidence: Probity in financial matters
Open Disclosure in Healthcare Practice
Say sorry safely: the open-disclosure process patients and boards expect.
- Covers: The open-disclosure process and saying sorry safely
- Best for: After an adverse event
- Evidence: Appropriate open disclosure
Rebuilding Trust of Patients, Public, and the National Boards
Repair and rebuild professional standing after a concern has been raised.
- Covers: Repairing professional standing after a concern
- Best for: The period after a notification
- Evidence: Steps taken to rebuild trust
Professionalism in Documentation for Healthcare Professionals
Records that stand up to scrutiny: contemporaneous, accurate and complete.
- Covers: Contemporaneous, accurate and complete records
- Best for: Records that withstand scrutiny
- Evidence: Defensible documentation
Fitness to Practise and Notifications
If a concern has already been raised, this is the pathway a board wants to see: insight into what happened, reflection, remediation, and a considered response to the notification.
Fitness to Practise for Healthcare Professionals
Understand what a board means by fitness to practise: health, conduct and performance.
- Covers: What a board means by fitness to practise: health, conduct, performance
- Best for: Anyone facing or preparing for a notification
- Evidence: Understanding of the process and your obligations
Module on Insight
Show a regulator you genuinely understand what happened and why it mattered.
- Covers: Demonstrating genuine understanding of what happened
- Best for: Building the insight a board looks for
- Evidence: Documented insight
Module on Reflection
Turn an incident into documented, credible reflective practice.
- Covers: Turning an incident into credible reflective practice
- Best for: Creating a documented reflective record
- Evidence: Structured reflection
Module on Remediation
Evidence the concrete steps you have taken so a concern will not recur.
- Covers: Evidencing the concrete steps you have taken
- Best for: Showing change after a concern
- Evidence: Completed remediation
How to Deal with a Notification or Investigation
A calm, staged approach to the process from first letter to outcome.
- Covers: A staged approach from first letter to outcome
- Best for: Practitioners currently in the process
- Evidence: A calm, structured response
How to Avoid a Complaint or Notification
The everyday habits that keep concerns from ever reaching a board.
- Covers: The everyday habits that keep concerns from arising
- Best for: Proactive risk reduction
- Evidence: A preventative approach to practice
Competence, Communication and Patient Safety
The standard of clinical care is the single most common notification concern, 35 per cent of all matters in 2024/25. Competence, clear communication, safe teamwork and prescribing live here.
Clinical Competence Patient Safety Course Au
Keep clinical care to the standard boards assess most, the top notification theme.
- Covers: Recognising, escalating and documenting clinical risk
- Best for: Keeping clinical care to the standard boards assess most
- Evidence: A proactive approach to patient safety
Ensuring Clinical Competence and Patient Safety
Recognise, escalate and document risks before they become a patient-safety event.
- Covers: Competence, escalation and safe systems of work
- Best for: Individuals and teams reducing avoidable harm
- Evidence: Commitment to safe, current practice
Ensuring Effective Communication as Healthcare Professionals
Prevent the miscommunication that sits behind a large share of complaints.
- Covers: Clear communication with patients and colleagues
- Best for: Preventing communication-related complaints
- Evidence: Patient-centred communication skills
Ensuring Teamwork and Collaboration for Healthcare Professionals
Share care safely: handover, delegation and speaking up when something is wrong.
- Covers: Handover, delegation and speaking up when something is wrong
- Best for: Shared-care and multidisciplinary settings
- Evidence: Safe collaboration and escalation
Prescribing Guidance and Standards for Healthcare Professionals
Prescribe within scope and record it well, a rising area of regulatory scrutiny.
- Covers: Prescribing within scope and recording it well
- Best for: Prescribers under increasing scrutiny
- Evidence: Safe, documented prescribing
How to Ensure a Mistake or Misconduct is Not Repeated
Build the systems and safeguards a board wants to see after an adverse event.
- Covers: Systems and safeguards after an adverse event
- Best for: Closing the loop after an incident
- Evidence: Concrete steps taken to prevent recurrence
How pharmacists turn a course into a documented response
For routine hours or a reply to PBA, the same four steps give you a certificate and a record that stands up to scrutiny.
Match the concern to a course
Use the finder to pick the category your notification or CPD goal relates to, then choose the course that fits.
Complete it at your pace
About 2 CPD hours on any device, self-paced. Start, pause and return whenever it suits you.
Document insight and remediation
Capture what you learned, why it mattered, and the concrete steps you have taken so it will not recur.
Keep or submit your certificate
A dated certificate you can retain for CPD or include with a written response to a National Board.
Why pharmacists choose these ethics CPD courses
Written for the Pharmacy Board of Australia context, ready the same day, and priced with no subscription.
Mapped to Pharmacy Board standards
Every course is aligned to the specific sections of the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct and the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, not a generic ethics syllabus.
Ready before your response deadline
Self-paced and about 2 CPD hours, so you can start and finish the same day. That matters when a notification has a timeline attached.
Certificate as CPD evidence
Finish the short assessment and receive an instant, dated PDF recording about 2 CPD hours. Keep it for your records or include it with a response.
Written for the regulatory context
Scenario-based content written from the perspective of what a National Board looks for, and reviewed by a clinician with postgraduate healthcare law and ethics training.
From A$99, no subscription
Transparent one-off pricing per course, with bulk options for teams. No lock-in, no recurring fee, and instant access on purchase.
The regulatory reality for pharmacists
Most notifications turn on conduct and professionalism, not clinical skill alone. For pharmacists, that makes ethics and professionalism the areas of greatest regulatory exposure, and the areas these courses are built around. Dispensing accuracy, controlled-substance supply and expanding scope such as vaccination and prescribing are central to the Pharmacy Board's expectations.
Who writes these courses, and how they stay board-aligned
Our mission
To help pharmacists meet the ethics and professionalism standards the Pharmacy Board of Australia sets, both for routine CPD and for the harder moments after a notification. Every course is built around the Pharmacy Board's code of conduct, not repurposed from overseas material.
Our approach
Courses are written to the current Australian standards and the National Law, reviewed by a clinician with postgraduate healthcare law and ethics training, and kept specific to pharmacists. We are clear about what a course does: it supports your CPD and your response, and it never promises an outcome.
Every course is written and facilitated by Dr Richard, a practising clinician with over 21 years of experience and postgraduate training in healthcare law and ethics.
His Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Law and Ethics, completed as part of an LLM in Healthcare Law and Ethics at University of Melbourne , means each course speaks to both the clinical realities and the Australian regulatory standards you are measured against.
What practitioners say
How pharmacists use these courses for CPD and for responding to a concern.
The insight and remediation modules gave me a clear structure for my written response. I felt far better prepared going into the process.
Straightforward, relevant to Australian practice, and my certificate came through the same afternoon. Exactly what I needed for my CPD.
I worked through the boundaries and documentation courses after a complaint. They helped me show the board genuine, documented change.
Start with the course you need today
Add your two core courses plus one from each category for a complete, board-aligned CPD record, or buy in bulk for your whole team across any profession.
Pharmacy Board of Australia and Ahpra, at the source
Before you rely on anything here, read the official standards and notification guidance for pharmacists on the Ahpra and National Board sites.
PBA CPD and notifications, answered
Common questions from pharmacists about CPD, accreditation and responding to a concern.