CPD

involves budgeting for planned expendi- ture and time away from your practice.

The CSP has introduced its policy for CPD because it is responsible for ensuring that its members maintain their professional competence. In December 1994, the CSP introduced CPD on a self-monitoring basis. In this way it fulfils its responsibil- ities to the public.

SELF EMPLOYED/PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS The CSP policy is a voluntary one at this stage but because private practitioners tend to work in isolation, without the support of managers and other in-house training opportunities, the help and support provided by an organisation’s compulsory scheme will help to ensure that all members are fulfilling a realistic minimum level of CPD.

Re-registration with the Health Professions Council The Health Professions Council, the statu- tory regulatory body for the Allied Health Professions (AHPs), formed in April 2002 as the successor to the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM). The HPC is expected to introduce a re-registration scheme at some point in the future - (probably around 2008) thereby making AHPs retention of statutory registration conditional upon as yet unspecified requirements.

The CSP have undertaken, on behalf of the fourteen AHPs, a project to develop an outcomes-based model to demonstrate competency to practise. This process, it is hoped, will be adopted by the HPC as a mechanism for assessing competency to practise and therefore re-registration.

WHAT IS COMPETENCY? The complex synthesis of knowledge, skills, values, behaviours and attributes that enable individual professionals to work safely, effectively and legally within their particular scope of practice. At its

ACTIVITIES LIKELY TO QUALIFY FOR CPD

Many professions are in the process of drawing up lists of activities which are appro- priate for CPD in terms of topic and quality (some are at more advanced stages than others) but these are likely to include:

■ Qualification studies - this includes higher degrees - MA., MSc., MPhil., PhD and diplomas

■ Short courses - which will maintain, improve and broaden your knowledge and skill and develop your personal qualities

■ Distance learning ■ In-service training - sharing of knowledge and skills within a practice ■ Teaching including: • Preparation of papers accepted for conferences and seminars • Preparation of articles and reviews for publication • Coaching/mentoring - part time teaching by non-academics • Work shadowing (as a mentor)

■ Conferences ■ Private study - independent practice ■ Meetings - professional meetings such as committees, board and branch meetings, professional working parties, regional meetings

■ Experiential learning - learning from experience ■ Reflective practice ■ Paper presentations and poster presentations ■ Research and audit eg. review of outcomes ■ Case studies ■ Structured reading - planned reading to update knowledge on current work, such as anterior knee problems or the value of biofeedback in rehabilitation regimes.

Many practitioners already do CPD on their own initiative, but it is not often done on a planned or systematic basis, and is rarely recorded. For your own benefit this CPD plan really needs to be written down. Refer to issue 14 sportEX medicine for a full explanation of how you can do this.

core are concepts of professionalism, autonomy, self regulation and awareness of the profession to which individuals belong. Structured career-long learning and development to meet identified learn- ing needs forms an integral part.

CPD OUTCOME BASED TOOL - CSP PROJECT The process for demonstrating competen- cy on which the CSP is working, is a scheme which will demonstrate learning outcomes. It will not be based on the number of hours completed undertaking CPD activities. This tool is known as the Outcomes Tool for Demonstrating Competency.

The outcomes tool for demonstrating CPD is based around a number of requirements. It is in the final stages of development by the CSP and has been piloted by a wide range of physiotherapy departments and practices. In order to demonstrate compli- ance each practitioner is required to write a personal statement which must show that they have met the following require- ments:

■ Understand, work within and respond appropriately to the limits of profes- sional practice

■ Demonstrate effectiveness in practice ■ Practice within the profession’s moral and ethical framework

Many practitioners already do CPD on their own

initiative, but it is not often done on a planned or systematic basis, and is rarely recorded.

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