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Best Practice for Writing Effective SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) Training Course

An essential course for ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and including best practice SOP writing using process mapping.

★★★★★ "Excellent, this is the second course I have attended run by IPI academy."

12 December 2024
+ 27 March 2025, 17 July 2025, 4 December 2025 »
from £549

Need help? Enrol or reserve

Format: Live online
CPD: 6 hours for your records
Certificate of completion

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Course overview

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) play a crucial compliance role with regulations. It is therefore essential that they are well written and easy to use. If SOPs are not followed correctly, the validity of data generated is compromised, leading to inspection findings and non-compliance issues which could lead to delays in bringing a drug/device to market.

This interactive SOP course has been specifically designed to help you develop the skills to write and produce the content of SOPs using a best practice process including process mapping, review and implement SOPs and ensure you comply in a regulated environment.

You will come away with the confidence to use a best practice process to write, update and implement effective SOPs.

This course is part of our Regulatory Affairs Training course collection, which features updates on the latest regulations to registration procedures and strategies.

Benefits of attending

Master the art of writing user-friendly SOPs
Learn how to prepare the content of SOPs including process mapping
Discover how to implement and manage SOPs effectively
Carry out effective SOP training
Ensure your SOPs incorporate appropriate regulatory requirements

Who should attend?

All those in pharma, biotech, generics, devices and animal health industries who are involved in preparing, reviewing and/or managing SOPs
Ideal as an introduction and also helpful to those wanting to ensure they are aware of best practice
Particularly relevant for those in GxP areas including clinical research, pharmacovigilance, QA, regulatory affairs and GMP

Enrol or reserve

This course will cover:

Fundamentals of effective SOPs

When are SOPs needed and why?
The difference between SOPs, policy documents, work instructions and local guidance
Determine the scope, roles and responsibilities associated with SOPs
Identify the essential structure of SOPs
Share best practice: what makes a good SOP?
Identify who should write, review and authorise SOPs
Current thinking in writing SOPs
Application of process mapping for writing SOPs
Example of a best practice SOP

Write concise and user-friendly SOPs

Translate the flow of operations into the document
Write SOPs that are sufficiently detailed, but not restrictive and limiting
Understand the target audience and account for end users’ needs
Tips for how to write the content, format, style and presentation
Defining SOP content using mind-mapping and process-mapping/flow-charting

SOP implementation and management

Review and approval processes for SOPs
Handling updates – when should SOPs be updated and how?
Distribution, version control
SOP training
How to maximise end-user compliance
Exercise: write an SOP using best practice methodology

Practice preparing an SOP

Ensuring Your SOPs meet regulatory requirements

What needs to be included for compliance in GxP areas?
Current regulatory trends
Tips for what auditors and inspectors look for when they review SOPs

Enrol or reserve

Laura Brown
Independent Pharmaceutical Consultant

Dr Laura Brown is an independent pharmaceutical QA consultant and is a recognised expert in QA including auditing SOPs for regulatory compliance. She has more than 25 years’ international experience in the pharmaceutical industry in a number of senior roles and has worked for companies including GSK, Hoechst Marion Roussel, Farmitalia and Phoenix International. She has worked in several quality assurance roles which have included writing, reviewing and auditing SOPs and CAPA implementation and has helped companies prepare SOPs and review CAPA systems to meet regulatory requirements.

More details

NEW higher discounts for multiple bookings - bring your colleagues to make your training budget go further:

30% off the 2nd delegate*
40% off the 3rd delegate*
50% off the 4th delegate*

Please contact us for pricing if you are interested in booking 5 or more delegates

12 December 2024

Live online

09:30-17:00 UK (London) (UTC+00)
10:30-18:00 Paris (UTC+01)
04:30-12:00 New York (UTC-05)
Course code 14087

GBP 549 649
EUR 789 929
USD 893 1,049

Until 07 Nov

1 day live online training
Browser-based, no download usually required
See presenters and interact with fellow attendees
Download documentation and certification of completion
Fair transfer and cancellation policy

View basket

Not ready to book yet?

for 7 days, no obligation

27 March 2025

Live online

09:30-17:00 UK (London) (UTC+00)
10:30-18:00 Paris (UTC+01)
05:30-13:00 New York (UTC-04)
Course code 14636

GBP 549 649
EUR 789 929
USD 893 1,049

Until 20 Feb

1 day live online training
Browser-based, no download usually required
See presenters and interact with fellow attendees
Download documentation and certification of completion
Fair transfer and cancellation policy

View basket

Not ready to book yet?

for 7 days, no obligation

17 July 2025

Live online

09:30-17:00 UK (London) (UTC+01)
10:30-18:00 Paris (UTC+02)
04:30-12:00 New York (UTC-04)
Course code 14852

GBP 549 649
EUR 789 929
USD 893 1,049

Until 12 Jun

1 day live online training
Browser-based, no download usually required
See presenters and interact with fellow attendees
Download documentation and certification of completion
Fair transfer and cancellation policy

View basket

Not ready to book yet?

for 7 days, no obligation

4 December 2025

Live online

09:30-17:00 UK (London) (UTC+00)
10:30-18:00 Paris (UTC+01)
04:30-12:00 New York (UTC-05)
Course code 15145

GBP 549 649
EUR 789 929
USD 893 1,049

Until 30 Oct

1 day live online training
Browser-based, no download usually required
See presenters and interact with fellow attendees
Download documentation and certification of completion
Fair transfer and cancellation policy

View basket

Not ready to book yet?

for 7 days, no obligation

* Early booking discounts may not be combined with other discounts or offers. As such, the discounts for 2nd/3rd/4th delegates are based on the full price; and apply only when booking multiple delegates on the same date.

Reviews of IPI's Best Practice for Writing Effective SOPs training course

Excellent, this is the second course I have attended run by IPI academy.

Apr 23 2024

Huw Evans United Kingdom
Medical & Scientific Liaison, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Europe Ltd

Jul 18 2024

It was a good experience.

Talal Mohammad Hameed Aljohani Saudi Arabia
SANS

Jul 18 2024

Very well prepared and structured. Also in terms of presentation very clear and detailed.

Ilaria Merico Italy
Manager, Compliance Regulatory Affairs, Global Rare Diseases, Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.

Apr 23 2024

Excellent! Exactly what I was hoping for

Mona Bjørkmo Norway
Associate Director, Drug Safety & Risk Management, GE HealthCare

Jul 17 2023

Excellent and will certainly book on others

Allan Thornhill United Kingdom
Head of BSU, Institute of Cancer Research

Jul 17 2023

Great presenter and good content

Ian Wilson United Kingdom
Named Training and Competency Officer, Institute of Cancer Research

Dec 12 2022

Thank you for organizing this amazing training session. It was very informative and interesting. The materials were highly motivating and Mrs. Brown was very professional.

Esra Ago Albania
Global Safety Senior Expert, Dompé Albania SH.P.K

Dec 12 2022

Very patient teacher, Laura also connect with us very easy and for me the course was interesting and fast!

Aida Otero Spain
Production technician, CZ Vaccines

Jun 27 2022

Great content, presentation and speaker

Beth Newby United Kingdom
AE Management Associate, Reckitt

Dec 2 2021

Excellent presentation, clear objectives met and well presented.

Andrew Jessup United Kingdom
Compliance Manager, World Transport Agency

Dec 2 2021

I like the course content, the samples presented, and the knowledge application through interactive workshops. Laura is very clear with her topics.

Tiffany Hitchen United Kingdom
Quality Specialist Document Control, Hologic Ltd

Dec 2 2021

Good content and examples that are relevant. Speaker provided information that responded to the subject and was well structured. Very good examples.

Ioana Pantelica Canada
GCP Coordinator, Chiesi Canada

Dec 3 2020

I would recommend this webinar to other colleagues. The contents were useful for following-up the session and the speaker managed to transmit successfully her knowledge.

Pablo Garcilópez Spain
Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Grifols, S.A.

Dec 3 2020

Laura was clear and concise, knowledgeable and helpful. I thought that the workshops were particularly helpful.

Ben Emmett United Kingdom
Regulatory Affairs Executive, Bimeda Animal Health Ltd

Dec 2 2019

Excellent course, highly recommended.

Hannah Allende United Kingdom
Assistant Clinical Trials Manager, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Jun 27 2019

Thank you very much for the interesting course.

Nesrin Polat Germany
QA Manager & Auditor, Trilogy Writing & Consulting

Dec 2 2019

Excellent teacher. Laura presented in an inclusive way and her presentation kept my attention.

Annette Hjemsted Denmark
PV Specialist, H. Lundbeck A/S

Jun 27 2019

Very interesting course, with lots of good hints and tips. Really useful with real life examples during the interactive workshops.

Mariam Salhotra United Kingdom
PV Assistant Manager, Pharmacovigilance - GPEL, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe R&F Ltd

Dec 3 2018

It's one of the few courses I've done so far and it's the best of them. I do recommend it to everyone.

Margarit Poutsi United Kingdom
Test Technician, Team Consulting

Jun 28 2018

Approachable and encouraged interaction. Excellent presenter, group size and format. Liked interactive approach and practical exercises. Examples [were] really helpful.

Miranda Dunstan United Kingdom
Clinical Process Improvement Specialist, GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Jun 28 2018

Personable, clear, concise presenter. Thoroughly enjoyed it...

Deborah Thomson United Kingdom
QA Coordinator, TauRx Therapeutics Ltd

Jun 28 2018

Very knowledgable, very pleasant speaker. Content covered a broad area - useful for professional writers and SME assigned the task.

Elisabeth Smith Switzerland
Senior Quality Specialist, Hoffmann- La Roche Ltd

Jun 28 2018

Very nice and friendly. Easy to understand. I would recommend this course to colleagues who have not yet been author or co-author of new or existing SOP's .

Line Møller Kofoed Denmark
Senior Clinical Safety Associate, Novo Nordisk

Jun 28 2018

Very knowledgable.

Sally Featherstone United Kingdom
Operations Director, Medical Device Usability Limited

Dec 6 2017

Concise and very straight to the point. Great to have some with relevant proven experience delivery the course

Bolutife Adeyemi United Kingdom
Senior PV Associate, GW Pharmaceuticals plc

Dec 6 2017

Brilliant, really enjoyed it. Given me the confidence to go ahead and write SOP's as I did find the prospect daunting and didn't know the best approach to get the job done

Diana Kalmoni-Hassay United Kingdom
Reports, Submissions and Compliance Associate, GW Pharmaceuticals plc

Dec 6 2017

Very good and interesting with plenty of real world experience to support what was being said

Chris Martin United Kingdom
Quality Engineer, Remote Diagnostic Technologies Ltd

Dec 5 2016

I found elements of the course particularly useful, especially the aforementioned examples of SOP format

Shaun Pope United Kingdom
Manager of Product Development and Operations, Mundipharma Research Ltd

Jun 30 2016

Presented very well by Laura Brown. A mixture of visual and pro-active exercises was used which I found very good. Content of the course was helpful and very sufficient.

Sophie Thompson United Kingdom
Quality Engineer, Wesley Coe (Cambridge) Limited

Dec 5 2016

Really good course, very well organised, great speaker and very helpful group work

Holly Palmer United Kingdom
QA Supervisor , Torbay Pharmaceuticals

Dec 5 2016

Useful. Did what it said on the tin.

Sarah Naylor United Kingdom
Head of Quality, Upperton Ltd

Dec 5 2016

The content was good, presentations and interactive way of introducing the methods

Esther Janssen Denmark
Compliance Manager, Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S

Jun 30 2016

Very Interactive course that give the opportunity to ask questions