CPD home sweet home?

Changes to CPD
On 1 January 2023 the new CPD regime will commence for all doctors in Australia.  The CPD requirements are set out in the CPD registration standard.
 
In brief, the new CPD rules will require all doctors to:

• Have a CPD home by the beginning of 2024 (although you can choose one earlier)
• Prepare and review a personal development plan (PDP) which is a plan to make sure that the CPD you undertake is relevant and useful
• Undertake 50 hours of CPD per year, split across a range of activities: 25 hours of reviewing performance and measuring outcomes, 12.5 hours of traditional learning such as reading and attending conferences, and 12.5 hours of free choice activities selected from these same categories.

This article focusses on CPD homes.
 
What is the role of a CPD home?
 
According to AHPRA, CPD homes:

• provide CPD programs
• support doctors to tailor CPD to their learning needs
• coordinate CPD programs, ensure quality activities and help doctors keep track of their CPD hours with a system for CPD record-keeping 
• make sure doctors meet CPD requirements, including requirements on:
  • culturally safe practice
  • addressing health inequities
  • professionalism, and 
  • ethical practice.

Do I need to have a CPD home?
Yes, if you are a medical practitioner who is required to meet the requirements of the CPD registration standard.  This means all registered practitioners except medical students, interns in accredited intern training programs, doctors in postgraduate year 2 positions who are participating in a structured program that leads to a certificate of completion, doctors with non-practising registration, and doctors with short-term registration.
 
Will I be allocated a CPD home automatically?
For specialist trainees, their CPD home will be the accredited specialist college for their training position.  Participating in an accredited specialist training program will enable them to meet the CPD requirements.  For specialist international medical graduates, their CPD home will be the accredited specialist medical college undertaking their assessment.
 
Other doctors can choose their own CPD home.
 
Who can be a CPD home?
A CPD home must be accredited by the Australian Medical Council, AHPRA’s accreditation body for CPD homes.  All specialist colleges will automatically be accredited CPD homes from January 2023.  Other organisations can apply to be accredited.  The AMC’s accreditation committee will be responsible for initial accreditation, monitoring and any subsequent re-accreditation.
 
Has MIGA applied to be a CPD home?
MIGA has not applied to be a CPD home; however some of our risk education activities may count towards your CPD hours.  We are liaising with CPD homes and will provide updates about this through various channels.
 
What do I do if I don’t have a CPD home in 2023?
You can keep doing the same type of CPD that you are currently doing.  However, you will need to choose a CPD home by the beginning of 2024.
 
Can a CPD home set a CPD program that goes beyond the minimum requirements?
Yes, a CPD home must set a program that meets the minimum requirements of the registration standard but can also set its own program-level requirements.  This means that a CPD home can set a CPD program that extends beyond the minimum hours and activity requirements of the CPD registration standard.
 
What are high-level requirements?
In addition to the two levels of requirements mentioned in the previous paragraph, a CPD program for practitioners with specialist registration may also have high-level requirements developed by the accredited specialist medical college.
 
How do I know what CPD program each CPD home is offering?
CPD homes must make publicly available a detailed description of the requirements, content and activities of its CPD program, any applicable fees and any changes to these, to enable practitioners to choose a suitable CPD home.  This information cannot be behind a paywall.
 
Can I change CPD home?
Yes, CPD homes are required to have systems and processes to allow practitioners to maintain, share and transfer their records to other CPD homes.
 
How will I keep track of my CPD?
CPD homes must be able to track practitioners’ progress towards meeting the requirements of the standard, including high-level requirements.
 
Is it possible for a CPD home to modify CPD requirements in any circumstances?
CPD homes are required to have processes for granting exemptions or variations to the requirements of the CPD program, including in relation to absences for parental or carer leave, serious illness, or other approved circumstances such as cultural responsibilities.
 
Relevancy of CPD: Personal development plans (PDP) and scope of practice
A PDP is a written plan that outlines your learning goals relevant to your current and intended scope of practice and how you will achieve your goals. The CPD that you undertake must align with your PDP and be relevant to your scope of practice. It includes self-evaluation of the learning goals and achievements from the previous CPD cycle, and the planned CPD activities to achieve learning goals in the current CPD year. We understand that CPD homes will provide templates and guidance in preparing a PDP. CPD homes decide how many CPD hours they will allocate to preparing and reviewing a PDP.
 
What activities count towards reviewing performance and measuring outcomes?
These activities can be individual-focused, group-focused or not directly focused on a participant’s practice. We expect that many doctors are already undertaking activities in their usual workload that could count towards these requirements.  For example, case conferences, M&M meetings, analysing or writing reports on healthcare outcomes, multi-disciplinary team meetings or, participating in clinical governance/QA committees. Preparing your PDP can count towards your 50 hours of CPD. 
 
Can MIGA help me with reviewing performance and evaluating outcomes?
MIGA is very keen to help our members meet the new requirements. Many of our education activities and practice reviews may be accepted by your CPD home as counting towards CPD hours.  We are also planning to boost our educational offerings to cover some of the new requirements for doctors under the new CPD regime.
 
Watch this space!
 

---

Further Information
Medical Board of Australia website page re CPD
Good Medical Practice: A Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia
Criteria for AMC accreditation of CPD homes