Dear

IMC No:

Re:   RCSI Professional Competence Scheme Verification Process - 1^st May 2024 – 30^th April 2025

As part of the arrangements agreed with the Medical Council, it is a requirement that each Postgraduate Training body undertake an annual verification of activities recorded by 3-5%

of doctors enrolled on the Professional Competence Scheme.  

I wish to advise you that you have been randomly selected to participate in this verification process for the PCS year 1^st May 2024 – 30^th April 2025.   This process will involve a check on each of the activities that you have uploaded to your Professional Competence Scheme (PCS) profile and the CPD credits assigned to each activity. 

The PCS requirements for the year 1 May 2024–30 April 2025 were to record 40 CPD credits AND complete one Clinical/Practice Audit with their Scheme.   The 40 credits could be recorded in any CPD category (external, internal, personal learning, research/teaching).

As you will be aware, the Medical Council have introduced a new  PCS Framework for 1^st May 2025 – 30^th April 2026 and we have moved to a new portal to accommodate this new Framework.

However, the Verification of your cpd activity for 1^st May 2024 – 30^th April 2025 has to take place on the OLD PCS Portal and you will be required to login to the OLD portal.   The following is the LINK to this Portal.    https://pcs.rcsi.ie/

What does this Verification Process mean for you?

If you still have activities which you have not yet uploaded for the term ending 30 April 2024, please upload these activities on or before Friday 27th June 2025.    If you are unable to upload activities or are uncertain which activities can be recorded and in which category please contact the PCS office pcs@rcsi.ie

Please ensure that you have evidence of your professional activities which you have entered on your profile.  It is easier if you upload scanned or electronic copies to the portfolio.  

Certain activities require supporting documentation and, if this has not been uploaded, you will be requested to upload (or submit) this for each appropriate activity up to the minimum requirement – 40 CPD credits and evidence of your Audit.    

Evidence of Audit can be a summary / description of your audit completed together with an appropriate verification document – your name and date should be on the summary /description of Audit and  signed/ verified by a consultant supervisor, clinical director or another appropriate clinician. Alternatively you could provide a copy of (or link) to a published abstract or paper.  Individual patient identifiers should be removed from audits before uploading to the ePortfolio.  Click  HERE for Guidelines.

Evidence of Internal activities would usually be in the form of an annual summary certificate / letter of official attendance records signed by Clinical Lead/Head of Department / Hospital administration.   Photocopies /photographs of sign in book at meetings is not appropriate evidence.

Evidence is not required for activities uploaded to the Personal Learning category.   

The verification process will commence Monday 30th June 2025 so it will help if all your credits and supporting documentation are uploaded on or before Friday 27th June 2025

If the evidence in your portfolio shows that you have recorded sufficient activities/credits and have the required certificates and documents, you will receive full credit for the Professional Competence Scheme and your Portfolio will be verified without further action.   If however there are discrepancies identified, you will be contacted again so that the issues identified can be addressed. 

Should you have any queries, please contact Marie O’Boyle at the PCS Office: by email: pcs@rcsi.ie

Mr Dara Kavanagh FRCS MCh

Clinical Lead, Professional Competence Scheme