The MHRA have for some 2 years been advocating more formal training and more formal continuing professional development for Responsible Persons (RPs).
The latest situation as I understand it is that the MHRA have put out to tender to training organisations, their thoughts on what training all RPs should have. It has apparently not yet been decided whether the training will be followed up by an examination or not. It is said that ALL RPs, however experienced, will need to complete the new training within 2 years of it being put in place, and RPs will be expected thereafter to also keep a log of their relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD) relating to Good Distribution Practice (GDP) activities.
It is expected that by or at the October 12th 2011 MHRA GDP conference that the above training will be defined
As to minimum qualifications for RPs, it is understood that the present minimum requirement of 1 years practical and management experience of the wholesale distribution of medicines, is likely to be tightened at the same time as the training requirements are altered. It is expected that RPs will in future, at the least, need to belong to a professional body, such as for example the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.