Pharmacists Registration (Practising Certificates) Regulations 2008

These Regulations may be cited as the Pharmacists Registration (Practising Certificates) Regulations 2008 and shall come into operation on 1st September 2008.

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —“active practice” means the practice of pharmacy, whether on a full-time or part-time basis, or as a locum;“continuing professional education point” means a continuing professional education point obtained by successfully completing any activity, course or programme in the list of activities, courses and programmes made under regulation 7;“Council’s website” means the Internet website of the Singapore Pharmacy Council which is accessible at http://www.spc.gov.sg;“relevant date”, in relation to a practising certificate, means the date that is 4 months before the expiry date of the practising certificate to be renewed.

“active practice” means the practice of pharmacy, whether on a full-time or part-time basis, or as a locum;

“continuing professional education point” means a continuing professional education point obtained by successfully completing any activity, course or programme in the list of activities, courses and programmes made under regulation 7;

“Council’s website” means the Internet website of the Singapore Pharmacy Council which is accessible at http://www.spc.gov.sg;

“relevant date”, in relation to a practising certificate, means the date that is 4 months before the expiry date of the practising certificate to be renewed.

Subject to paragraph (2), these Regulations shall apply to any person who is registered or deemed to be registered as a pharmacist under section 16 or 17 of the Act.

Regulation 6 shall not apply in respect of any person making an application for the first time under these Regulations for the grant or renewal of a practising certificate.

Subject to paragraph (2), these Regulations shall apply to any person who is registered or deemed to be registered as a pharmacist under section 16 or 17 of the Act.

Regulation 6 shall not apply in respect of any person making an application for the first time under these Regulations for the grant or renewal of a practising certificate.

An application for the grant or renewal of a practising certificate under section 23 of the Act shall be in the form that is published at the Council’s website and must be accompanied by the applicable fees as specified in the First Schedule.

Where an application for or for renewal of a practising certificate under section 23 of the Act is made —

less than one month before the expiry of the practising certificate; or

after the expiry of the practising certificate,the appropriate fee for late application specified in the First Schedule shall also be payable in addition to the application fee.

An application for a certified true copy of a practising certificate shall be made in such form and manner as the Council may require and shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee specified in the First Schedule.

Where a practising certificate has been lost, destroyed, or has been defaced or obliterated such that any particulars in the certificate are illegible, the holder thereof shall immediately apply to the Council for a duplicate of the practising certificate.

Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the Council shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the First Schedule and if it is satisfied that a practising certificate has been lost, destroyed, defaced or obliterated, issue a duplicate of such certificate to the holder of the original thereof.

A duplicate of a practising certificate shall have the same effect as the original.

In the case of a practising certificate which has been defaced or obliterated, no duplicate of such certificate shall be issued unless the original certificate is returned to the Council.

In the case of a practising certificate which has been lost or destroyed, no duplicate of such certificate shall be issued unless the holder thereof makes a statutory declaration of the loss or destruction and furnishes that statutory declaration to the Council.

Where any original practising certificate is found after any duplicate thereof is issued under this regulation, the holder of the certificate shall return the duplicate to the Council for cancellation within 14 days after the original practising certificate was found.

Any person who fails to comply with paragraph (6) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.

Where a practising certificate has been lost, destroyed, or has been defaced or obliterated such that any particulars in the certificate are illegible, the holder thereof shall immediately apply to the Council for a duplicate of the practising certificate.

Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the Council shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the First Schedule and if it is satisfied that a practising certificate has been lost, destroyed, defaced or obliterated, issue a duplicate of such certificate to the holder of the original thereof.

A duplicate of a practising certificate shall have the same effect as the original.

In the case of a practising certificate which has been defaced or obliterated, no duplicate of such certificate shall be issued unless the original certificate is returned to the Council.

In the case of a practising certificate which has been lost or destroyed, no duplicate of such certificate shall be issued unless the holder thereof makes a statutory declaration of the loss or destruction and furnishes that statutory declaration to the Council.

Where any original practising certificate is found after any duplicate thereof is issued under this regulation, the holder of the certificate shall return the duplicate to the Council for cancellation within 14 days after the original practising certificate was found.

Any person who fails to comply with paragraph (6) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.

The Council may refuse to grant or renew a practising certificate unless the applicant can satisfy the Council that he has fulfilled the requisite continuing professional education requirements indicated against the relevant description of the applicant in the first column of the Second Schedule in the following manner:

the applicant must accumulate not less than the requisite continuing professional education points set out in the second column within the qualifying period set out in the fourth column thereof; and

a percentage of the requisite points must be from any specified type or category of programmes as may be set out in the third column thereof, if any.

A pharmacist who is not in active practice shall not be entitled to rely on item 9 of the Second Schedule for the renewal of his practising certificate unless —

he has filed with the Council a declaration in the relevant form available at the Council’s website; and

the Council has granted its approval for him to rely on that item.

A pharmacist who is not in active practice, and who has satisfied the requirements of paragraph (2)(a) and (b), may resume active practice only if, in the period of 12 months immediately preceding the date on which he has indicated to the Council that he wishes to resume active practice, he obtains at least 25 continuing professional education points of which at least 30% are from pharmaceutical care programmes.

The Council may, in such special circumstances as it may determine, grant or renew a practising certificate even though the applicant is unable to satisfy the Council that he has fulfilled the requisite continuing professional education requirements.

The Council may impose reasonable conditions in the exercise of its discretion under paragraph (4).

The Council may refuse to grant or renew a practising certificate unless the applicant can satisfy the Council that he has fulfilled the requisite continuing professional education requirements indicated against the relevant description of the applicant in the first column of the Second Schedule in the following manner:

the applicant must accumulate not less than the requisite continuing professional education points set out in the second column within the qualifying period set out in the fourth column thereof; and

a percentage of the requisite points must be from any specified type or category of programmes as may be set out in the third column thereof, if any.

A pharmacist who is not in active practice shall not be entitled to rely on item 9 of the Second Schedule for the renewal of his practising certificate unless —

he has filed with the Council a declaration in the relevant form available at the Council’s website; and

the Council has granted its approval for him to rely on that item.

A pharmacist who is not in active practice, and who has satisfied the requirements of paragraph (2)(a) and (b), may resume active practice only if, in the period of 12 months immediately preceding the date on which he has indicated to the Council that he wishes to resume active practice, he obtains at least 25 continuing professional education points of which at least 30% are from pharmaceutical care programmes.

The Council may, in such special circumstances as it may determine, grant or renew a practising certificate even though the applicant is unable to satisfy the Council that he has fulfilled the requisite continuing professional education requirements.

The Council may impose reasonable conditions in the exercise of its discretion under paragraph (4).

For the purposes of these Regulations, the Council will designate and maintain a list of activities, courses and programmes with corresponding continuing professional education points to be earned on their successful completion.

The Council may categorise items in the list under paragraph (1) and designate specific items for various classes or descriptions of pharmacists.

For the purposes of these Regulations, the Council will designate and maintain a list of activities, courses and programmes with corresponding continuing professional education points to be earned on their successful completion.

The Council may categorise items in the list under paragraph (1) and designate specific items for various classes or descriptions of pharmacists.

The fees specified in the First Schedule shall be payable to the Council.

The Council may, subject to such conditions as it may direct, exempt any person or class of persons from all or any of the fees payable under these Regulations.

The Council may remit or refund, in whole or in part, any fee payable under these Regulations in any particular case or class of cases.

The fees specified in the First Schedule shall be payable to the Council.

The Council may, subject to such conditions as it may direct, exempt any person or class of persons from all or any of the fees payable under these Regulations.

The Council may remit or refund, in whole or in part, any fee payable under these Regulations in any particular case or class of cases.

A practising certificate shall be valid for 2 years or such shorter period as specified therein.

Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations, an applicant who has, between 1st September 2006 and 31st August 2008 (both dates inclusive), obtained 50 continuing professional education points under the scheme established by the Singapore Pharmacy Board shall, for the purposes of these Regulations, be deemed to have accumulated 10 continuing professional education points during the qualifying period between 1st September 2008 and 31st August 2010 (both dates inclusive).