Continuing professional development (CPD) Standards

RACGP CPD Provider Standards

Continuing professional development (CPD) Standards
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Last revised: 19 Apr 2023

RACGP CPD Provider Standards

Overview

The RACGP CPD Provider Standards focus on ensuring that providers offer high-quality education to GPs. To achieve this, the RACGP provides guidance to all providers and monitors the development and delivery of their CPD activities.

These standards are both broad and outcomes-focused to meet the requirements of the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) types of CPD and to encourage innovation in how RACGP members can satisfy CPD requirements.

There are three main standards relating to:

  1. the governance of the CPD Provider
  2. the quality of the education offered by the CPD provider
  3. collaboration between the RACGP and the CPD provider.

Each standard includes criteria and indicators to assist CPD providers. The indicators use the word ‘must’ to indicate what is mandatory, and ‘could’ to indicate what is optional though recommended. This will allow providers to be flexible in their approach in meeting the various types of CPD activities in ways that best suit their organisations’ resources and expertise.

Guidance is also provided for each standard for added context and to explain its importance to Australian general practice.

Providers will have access to the relevant policies and documents to support the RACGP CPD Provider Standards.

CPD Provider Standards

  1. A sound governance structure supports the delivery of quality CPD activities.
  2. The CPD provider offers quality CPD activities relevant to Australian general practice.
  3. There is collaboration between the RACGP and the CPD Provider to ensure quality CPD activities.

Criterion 1.1 The CPD provider has sufficient capacity and appropriate governance structures to deliver quality education

Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD provider must:

  • have sufficient human and educational resources to manage, develop and evaluate the RACGP approved CPD activities, and to provide support to GPs
  • identify a process to manage potential conflicts of interest without undue influence from external stakeholders 
  • include a GP and other relevant representation in the development of education as detailed in the CPD Activity Standards.

Criterion 1.2 CPD providers maintain up-to-date and secure record management

Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD Provider must consistently apply policies related to the storage, retention, disposal, privacy and access to CPD participants’ information.

Criterion 1.3 CPD provider communicates effectively with participants

Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD provider must:

  • publish detailed descriptions of the requirements and content of activities including the MBA activity types and expected hours
  • publish any fees associated with providing any learning activities.

Criterion 1.4 CPD provider embeds continuous quality improvement in all activities

Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD provider must demonstrate QI processes as detailed in the CPD Activity Standards in approving CPD activities.

Criterion 2.1 The CPD provider develops quality CPD activities relevant to Australian general practice

Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD provider must:

Criterion 2.2 Ensure that CPD activity records assist participants to meet their CPD requirements 

Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD provider must:

  • detail the length and type of any CPD-approved activity for each participant in accordance with the MBA CPD Registration Standard, or any additional RACGP or other relevant specialist high-level requirements
  • record and report each participant’s CPD approved activity participation to the RACGP within an appropriate time frame. 

Criterion 3.1 CPD providers are accredited by the RACGP to the relevant standard

Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD provider must:

  • follow RACGP accreditation processes for CPD providers
  • meet the RACGP CPD Provider Standards.

Criterion 3.2 RACGP support and guidance is accessed
Indicators for meeting this criterion

The CPD provider must demonstrate access and use of RACGP CPD support and guidance resources in the development of CPD activities.

Criterion 3.3 CPD provider participates in RACGP quality assurance and reporting processes

Indicators for meeting this criterion

 The CPD provider must demonstrate a process for the results of quality assurance being included in future improvement and development.

The CPD provider could demonstrate previous participation in the RACGP quality assurance processes.


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