Continuing Professional Development
In 2010 OT Australia determined that, as part of a review of the AccOT Program, it would foreshadow that members would be required to complete continuing professional development requirements once the Association became a single entity.
During this same time it was announced that occupational therapists would become registered health professionals from July 2012. The Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, the body responsible for the registration of occupational therapists, was convened and started to meet in July 2011. This Board has determined a number of registration standards for OTs including a CPD standard.
The Association proceeded to improve the CPD program and promulgate the need for members to participate in CPD as an obligation of their membership, in the belief that this program would assist members in achieving registration and maintaining their registration. However, rather than accepting the structure of the Association’s program, the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (the registration board) has determined that it will provide its own CPD structure and that registrants have to comply with their structure. The OT Board has also determined that they may audit registrants to determine their compliance with the CPD program.
Given that the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia are clearly taking responsibility for the standard of occupational therapy services provided to the community across Australia, the Association has determined that it does not want to use members money to provide a competing CPD program and to audit members compliance with CPD.
Therefore Occupational Therapy Australia will abandon the provision of a program of continuing professional development and leaves this to the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia [AHPRA].
The Association will instead focus its activities around facilitating participation in CPD and in providing quality educational activities for its members.
Getting the most from your CPD
Research has shown that just attending a conference or seminar does not provide much benefit unless the participant takes a bit of extra time to build on this experience. Reflecting on what you have heard and determining ways in which you can apply the new knowledge to your work will increase your retention of the information. Actually applying the new knowledge and then evaluating it increases the value of the education many fold and builds both competence and confidence. Similarly, reading a journal paper has little value unless it is reflected on and applied to your work.
It is worth taking the time to use new knowledge and insights. This often leads to you being more focused about your CPD needs and clearer about the courses or conferences you might attend or other educational methods you might employ. This will enable a much more efficient use of your time and education budget.
Getting started
Download the CPD Programme manual and other relevant resources which contain all the information you need to plan and strategise your CPD in order to meet your registration requirements.
This manual provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and planning your CPD as well as helpful suggestions for putting together a CPD strategy and maintaining your records.
You might like to take a bit of time to reflect on your CPD needs and plan what you will do over the following year to meet those needs (CPD Plan).
Downloadable forms to record CPD activity
For further information email us.
