In 2001, The Health Professions Order ruled that all HPC Registrants must undertake CPD, and will be expected to show evidence of their learning and the outcomes of this. Most recent discussions have resulted in the following decision being made by the HPC, which commenced in April 2006 ;
“ we will undertake an audit of the relevant profession /s after the registration renewal process for that profession /s has been run”
Therefore, the rules of the HPC state that;
3.1 A registrant must undertake CPD in accordance with the Standards specified by the Council under article 19(4) of the Order and which apply to him; and maintain a written record (including any supporting documents or other evidence) of the CPD he has undertaken.
3.2 The Committee may at any time require a registrant to submit his CPD record for inspection; and provide the Committee with such other evidence as it may reasonably require, for the purpose of determining whether the registrant has met the requirements.
3.3 If a registrant fails to meet a requirement imposed, the Committee may refuse to renew the registrant’s registration or direct the Registrar to remove the registrant’s name from the register.
3.4 Before taking any action the Committee shall provide the registrant with the opportunity to make written representations to the Committee.
Therefore, when you begin or renew your registration, you have to declare that you have undertaken CPD and met the HPC standards. If the HPC find that you have not met the standards, you will be given an opportunity to put things right, within a set period of time. If you then fail to meet the standards within this set time, your name can be removed from the register, although you will have the right of appeal.
Section 2. CPD Activities.
A range of CPD activities will be acceptable to the HPC, and includes;
- Work-based learning, reflective practice, clinical audit, significant event analysis, user feedback, committee membership, journal clubs
- Professional activities, special interest group membership, mentoring, teaching, expert witness work, conference presentation, study days, seminars
- Formal / education, courses, undertaking research, distance learning, IT-based learning, planning or running a course
- Self-directed learning, reading articles, reviewing books, updating knowledge via web / media.
- Activities such as public service
This list is not complete, but gives examples of what is acceptable. The HPC will look for a range of activities that is extensive and includes both formal and informal activities, appropriate to your work and scope of practice.
Section 3. Approach to CPD.
The HPC recognises that registrants are already engaged in a diverse range of CPD activity, some of which are opportunistic and are part of working life. On-going learning is the focus rather that time spent learning. Therefore, a points system is not required by the HPC (although your own Professional Organisation may require you to follow a points system), but quality rather than quantity is the approach taken.
Section 4. CPD Standards.
In order to maintain registration, all registrants must undertake CPD and must;
- Maintain a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record of their CPD activity
- Demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future practice
- Seek to ensure that their CPD has contributed to the quality of their practice and service delivery
- Seek to ensure that their CPD benefits the service user
- Present a written portfolio containing evidence of their CPD upon request
These standards will become part of the CPD process from August 2006. A CPD audit will refer to the two years previous to the induction of the audit process.
Section 5. The Standards Process.
The overall CPD Standards process will operate by;
- Each registrant making a self-declaration at each registration renewal that they continue to meet the Council’s Standards for CPD
- Sample audits of registrants will be taken at random from the register
- Submission of a profile of evidence will be required from those registrants selected from the register
- Assessment of the profile against the Standards of CPD will be performed by appropriate and experienced personnel, selected by the HPC.
Section 6. The Audit Process.
The HPC will require all registrants to keep on-going and regularly updated records of their CPD. They will audit a sample of registrant’s CPD in each of the professions. They will require the registrants they select for the audit to submit a profile within 28 days. The profile must set out the CPD they have undertaken. Two assessors will be appointed to evaluate the profile. At least one of these assessors will be from the same profession. The assessors will advise the HPC whether the registrant has met the Standards of CPD.
Registrants can appeal against a decision and their appeal will be submitted to the Registration Appeals Panel of the Council.
Only registrants who have been on the register for more than two years will be liable to audit.
Section 7. The Profile (Portfolio).
The contents of a portfolio should consist of;
- Front cover (a pro-forma will be provided)
- Contents page
- Summary of practice history for the last two years (max 500 words)
- Statement of how Standards of CPD have been met (max 1500 words) on the pro-forma provided
- Documentary evidence to support your statement
In effect, the HPC require all current registrants to formally record any CPD activity in which they are involved, in a structured format, which must be available for inspection by the HPC should that request be made.
The type of activity involved should be appropriate to the registrant’s work and scope of practice.
The HPC expect a range of CPD activities to be demonstrated.
The HPC will require registrants to be able to demonstrate how their CPD activity has contributed to the development of their practice.
The HPC will require evidence that CPD activity has taken place.
Audit of CPD activity by the HPC will take place randomly, therefore any member of the register may be selected for audit. Those who are selected will have 28 days in which submit their portfolio, in the approved format, for inspection by the HPC. If the portfolio does not meet the Standards set down by the HPC for CPD, the registrant will be given an opportunity to make representation to the Committee. If the Standards are still not met, the HPC are able to remove the registrants name from the register, and in such cases, re-admission to the register is not allowed for a period of five years.
Returnees to practice
If you have been out of practice for more than two years you will need to undertake a period of updating your skills and knowledge before you can become re-registered
HPC requirements
In order to return to the Register, health professionals will need to meet the following requirements, depending on how long they have been out of practice:
• 0-2 years - no requirements
• 2-5 years - 30 days of updating their skills and knowledge
• 5 years or over - 60 days of updating their skills and knowledge
These requirements also apply to someone who has never been registered with the HPC and who has never practiced (or who has not practiced in the last two years) but who holds an approved qualification which is over five years old.
Minimum requirements
HPC requirements are minimum requirements in order to re-register with them. However, every professional has an obligation to ensure that they practice safely and effectively within their scope of practice.
You or your employer may feel that you need spend longer updating your skills and knowledge before you are able to return to practice in a certain area or in a certain role. This might include a longer period of supervised practice or a structured return to work programme.
Updating skills and knowledge
If you are returning to practice, our requirements mean that you can decide to update your skills and knowledge in a way that is most convenient and beneficial for you.
The updating period can comprise a combination of supervised practice, formal study and private study. We recognise that it might not always be possible to access a period of supervised practice and that particular return to practice courses may not be available in certain areas; which is why we have tried to be as flexible as possible with our requirements.
If you choose to undertake private study, we ask that this makes up no more than half of the updating period. The remaining period can be made up with any combination of supervised practice and formal study.
The updating period has to take place within 12 months of the date in which you apply to come back onto the Register.
Renewing registration
Every time you renew your registration you will be asked to sign that you have continued to practice your profession or met any returnees to practice requirements that apply to you.
This means that you will need to have practiced at some point in the previous two years of your registration cycle.
By practicing your profession we mean that you have been drawing on your professional skills and or knowledge in the course of your work. For most health professionals this will mean that they have been working in clinical practice, teaching, management or research; but others may have been drawing on their professional skills in other roles.