Program Outline – RANZCR CPD 2004 - 2006

A minimum standard of continuing professional development activities is the least number of particular types of appropriate education activities to be undertaken by a Fellow per year.

The aims of engaging in CPD activities are to encourage a Fellow to maintain and gain new knowledge in radiation oncology and through this to provide his/her patients with up-to-date quality healthcare.

Fellows will be responsible for choosing their CPD activities in accordance with their needs, learning methods and practice settings.

An intrinsic component of professional practice should be participation in a program of CPD. The Program should be monitored by the RANZCR by the accumulation of points. The basic unit is one hour of activity.

[ top of page ]

CPD Points Requirements

No CPD points will be carried into the next triennium.

[ top of page ]

Who is expected to participate?

As from 1 January 1996, all Fellows who are carrying out clinical care of patients will be expected to complete the annual CPD requirements and to document these on the CPD Annual Return Form.

Where a specialist medical practitioner holds a Fellowship of more than one Australasian College, he/she should participate in continuing professional development programs of that College representing the specialty of active professional practice for that individual, ie. for practising radiation oncologists in Australia and New Zealand that College is the RANZCR.

Fully retired Fellows do not have to complete the CPD Annual Return Form.

New Participants commencing CPD point accumulation during the triennium will accumulate points pro-rata, counting whole years only. Likewise, consideration will be given on an individual basis for Participants who have not accrued points for a period of time due to special circumstance (e.g. maternity leave, extended illness etc).

[ top of page ]

Verification Requirements

Participants in the CPD program will be asked to submit a summary of their CPD activities annually on a purpose-designed pro forma. No documentation or verification is required to be sent when you submit your return. Participants must retain their documentation for the term of the triennium.

A random audit of 5% of Participants will be conducted each year. You will be required to submit documentation for verification, as indicated, only if you are selected for audit.

[ top of page ]

Special Requirements for New Zealand Fellows and Vocationally Registered Educational Affiliates

For registration in New Zealand, Fellows and Educational Affiliates are required to be enrolled in a CPD program that meets Medical Council of New Zealand approval.

The current FRANZCR CPD program for radiation oncology is recognised as a recertification program by the MCNZ. New Zealand participants will need to complete the enclosed Revalidation Audit Form.

The New Zealand Medical Council will require the RANZCR to provide the names of Fellows or Educational Affiliates registered on the CPD program and evidence of their continued participation.

[ top of page ]

Statements of Participation in CPD Program for Registration with Medical Council/Boards.

The College will provide a statement to Participants who require them for the purposes of Medical Council/Medical Board registration. To request a statement, simply email the College on ranzcr@ranzcr.edu.au and use ‘CPD Statement for Medical Registration’ in the subject line. The College will verify your participation in the program and email or post the statement to you. Whilst these requests are often able to be actioned within 24 hours, please allow 3-5 days for provision of this statement particularly if hardcopy is required.

For New Zealand Participants, the statement will be emailed directly to the MCNZ.

[ top of page ]

Fellows’ Annual Record of CPD

The CPD Annual Return Form will be distributed to Fellows on an annual basis. All details of Fellows’ continuing professional development for the current year should be recorded on the form.

It is recommended that all Fellows keep careful records (ie. log books) during the course of the year of their participation in CPD activities to facilitate the completion of the CPD Annual Return Form.

All Fellows must ensure that the College has a current contact address, including phone, fax and email.

Each Fellow will be required to make a declaration that the information provided in the CPD Annual Return Form is a true and proper account of his/her continuing medical education activities for the previous year. Each CPD Annual Return Form must be signed.

[ top of page ]

Web and On-line Options

This is the last triennium in which the handbook and returns will be available in hard-copy. From 2005, Participants will be able to complete their CPD returns on-line. This will assist Participants in keeping track of their CPD points progressively as they acquire them. For further information on progress please follow developments in the Newsletter and on the website.

[ top of page ]

Important Dates

You should complete your CPD Annual Return Form each year of the triennium and return it to the College by 1 March in the following year (eg by 1 March 2005 for the 2004 CPD year). Those selected for random audit will be contacted by 30 June in the calendar year to provide verification of their CPD claim.

[ top of page ]

Responsibilities of the RANZCR

The Faculty has established a committee to be known as the Post-Fellowship Education Committee (PFEC).

The College has developed a computerised record system which will allow the display of the CPD activities of each College member by year with appropriate facilities for print-out and assessment. See section on implementation.

The system will be reviewed annually and a report will be submitted to the Faculty Board by the PFEC.

There will be no withdrawal of the FRANZCR for failure to meet CPD requirements, but the Certificate of Continuing Professional Development will not be issued.

Appeals against decisions made by the PFEC may be made through the Secretary of the College. Appeals will be judged by the Council of the College. Any Councillor serving on the PFEC shall take no part in the deliberations of the Council on the review in question.

[ top of page ]

The LEAP Framework Project

The Faculty is currently participating in the pilot of the LEAP Framework Project which allows Members to make a contribution to the on-going process and debate relating to CPD for medical specialists, including development around the connection of CPD to a National Approach to Specialist Registration. The LEAP Framework is a generic framework for CPD that has been developed on behalf of the Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges (CPMC) for Australian medical specialists, regardless of specialty or practice setting. The Framework identifies three main strands or areas of practice: clinical expertise; risk management; and professional values and responsibilities.

The project has been funded by the Australian Government to include a sample of Fellows from eight medical colleges undertaking a trial of the project. The trial will run from November 2004 to November 2005 and will test the usefulness and validity of the LEAP framework in practice.

For more information about the LEAP Framework, please visit the following website www.leapframework.edu.au.

[ top of page ]

Further Information

Should you have any enquiries about the CPD Program, please contact the College by emailing cpd@ranzcr.edu.au or call the College office on +61 2 9268 9777.