Keeping up to date with CE and CPD points in Victoria

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Hi All,

APodA Vic is proud to release the newly developed CE website where all upcoming events will be posted as a calendar and you can have access to relevant programs and registrations as they are released!!

http://www.podiatryevents.com.au

Also our CE Events facebook page is another way of keeping informed of what is coming up - sign up as a fan if you haven't already

http://www.facebook.com/pages/APodA-Vic-CE-Events/121456387864652

With national registration beginning July 1st and the new guidelines for CPD - it is important to keep up to date with all the events going on!

Well done APodA Vic - Great initiative!

 

I don't understand the rationale for spending the APodA(Vic) membership fees on a website to inform people of upcoming CE events. It looks like a waste of money and effort to me. What is wrong with just listing the information on the current APodA(Vic) website?

 

Thanks for your response and opinion DaVinci.

Quote: "I don't understand the rationale for spending the APodA(Vic) membership fees on a website to inform people of upcoming CE events."

The website cost us a total of $25 - and of course the time donated by members and the board (Voluntarily), who willingly contribute to bettering services offered to our members.

Our rationale in setting up the site, is to act as an interactive platform that members can view what continued education events are coming up of interest to them.
The site is dynamic and we can modify or add events as we go along, and also attached programs and registration forms, links to accomodation websites etc.

Quote:"What is wrong with just listing the information on the current APodA(Vic) website?

Unfortunatly at this stage, the design and platform of the current APodA (vic) website does not allow us this level of interaction - we have plans in the near future of rehashing the association website completely and at this time we will be able to link this CE site with the Main site.

So far we have had great feedback on the new site, and we are grateful for the time that our generous, contributing members and board continue to commit on tasks such as this one - which at times become difficult as there are plenty of cynics out there.

Thanks again for your queries DaVinci - I hope I have cleared up any concerns

 

Dear Melb Pod,

Well done and thanks for clarifying this. I think the website is great and very helpful and look forward to seeing the launch of the new improved Website.

Given the dynamic changes our profession is experiencing and the need for Podiatrists and members to be acutely aware and have access to CE a member Association should be praised for being on the front foot (pardon the pun!) and showing initiative for delivering members such service.

It is a shame ignorance exists and people so readily see the "Glass being half empty!"Sadly this seems to be all to familiar via the safety of web forums as it seems we no longer adhere to the old cliche ...."if you haven't got something good to say ....".

It would be wonderful if our colleagues were more supportive of one another or at least got their facts right before thoughtlessly making unconstructive and naive comments. Especially when people are simply trying to serve their profession in the best way they can, donating so much of their personal time and sacrificing their income for the very people who are so quick to be critical. It would be very disheartening I am sure.

As they say you can't please everybody, but for what it is worth I thank you Melb Pod for your dedication, passion and enthusiasm. and commitment to advancing your profession in such a positive way.

I thank and encourage everyone else out there (past, present and future) serving and working selflessly, tirelessly and voluntartily to advance their profession. I sincerely hope you withstand unnecessary, non-constructive, negative critiscism and continue to work and do the best you can.

Keep up the great work Melb Pod, be positive and remember that the "Glass is always half full!!"..

Cheers,
Toe Jam.

 

I will respond to this bit:

I don't think its that important. The requirments are only a paltry 20hrs. No one is going to have any trouble getting that. Its about 25% of what is currently required in NSW and based on comments at APodA(NSW) conference at the weekend, the amount of CPD on offfer is being reduced as the demand for will drop as the requirements is beng reduced to the 20hrs. ..... 20 hrs is just about one conference ... ie NOTHING!

The biggest problem with the new requirements will be the laziness of some in getting the paperwork completed on time. I understand there are a lot of these issues before the NSW registration board. Getting the hrs is not going to be a problem.

 

Sally maybe you can help with this question. How does the requirment work for those who live a few kms away from the sites of these get togethers.

I´m still reg in Vic and will keep it going when we move to National reg. I live and work in Stockholm and can´t pop to Melb for the weekend. ( I understand Pod Arena will be able to make up some of the Hours)

Also It will be very important to have different levels of programs. I spend more than 20 hrs a month reading, thinking and then discussing here and feel that I achieve more than going to a conference where often the social aspect is more important than the presentations.
Just some food for thought but I think that it will be a big and good kick for some who left School and stopped learning. I´ve been there.

 

Michael

The new national requirements are here:
http://www.podiatryboard.gov.au/documents/Continuing professional development.pdf

The 20hrs can be any professional development activity (eg the time you spend on Podiatry Arena!) - the guidelines state:

The profession talks about evidence based practice, but the 'powers' seem to forget about evidence based CPD and what the evidence says works and does not work. There is a hang up about the hours needing to be 'bums on seats' when teh evidence is that is very ineffective at improving patient outcomes..... I made my veiws well known previously here: Should CPD/CME be compulsory?

 

Thanks Craig I´ll look into the document.

 

Hi Michael,

I agree that although 20 hours does not seem a large commitment to some - I'm sure it will be a shock to the system for others!

As Craig indicated CPD includes a range of activities from CPR training, Conferences, Workshops, Internet Forums, readings etc.

Our APodA Vic CE Website is a guide to what the association are offering as part of our CE program (which we try to offer an event every 1-2 months) - This is by no means the only CE that Victorian podiatrists can be undertaking.

Our CE Events are not exclusively conferences as we understand people prefer to learn in a variety of ways - we also have smaller group activities, disection workshops, Special interest groups, evening session etc.

We recognise the difficulties expressed in the past for rural and regional members accessing events, and we are striving to work out ways in which we can reach these members. (however, I'm not sure if Stockholm is on the agenda? )

Thanks for your input Michael - we always appreciate feedback as to how we can better provide services to members.

 

So what does the 'area of professional practice' mean exactly? Does that mean that I can do business related study (eg a MYOB course) because I am in private practice? Or does it have to be strictly podiatry based CE?
Also, how does it run with the accredited podiatrist scheme- is it running alongside it or instead of?

 

We do not have a definition yet, BUT, if I had my way it would mean any activity that could be argued could led to an improvement in patient outcomes.

If I had my way, then the answer would be no. How could have patient outcomes been improved by that activity?

Should be any activity related to patient outcomes

The Accrdited Podiatrist shceme is run by APodC and is seperate (and more evidence based than the new national scheme). Activities can be used to apply to both.


PS.... I rarely get my way in these issues, but it is what the evidence tells me.

 

No, patient outcomes are not improved by doing business type study but it could be argued that the 'area of professional practice' is improved-that's why I wanted a definition/explanation!
Will we have to submit our log of hours attended at conferences etc when we re-register? Or will they just do an audit from time to time?

 

I assume we will be required to submit a form detailing our CPD activities when we send in payment for registration to the new national body. I assume that a certain % each year will be required to provide the actual evidence as part of an audit. That is why we are required to keep the detailed documentation (ie certificate of attendance) for 5 years.

 

Craig,

I was told today that 10% of members will be audited each year.

Cheers

Nick Ryan

 

and I guess each board will be incharge of the audit process, so 10% increase in fees or 20% drop in whats provided by the Pod Board ?!!?

 

Reading through the 85pgs!! I noticed that the compulsory 20 hours cannot be made up in one area alone. There are maximum amounts of hours allocated for various things.

For example - Attendance at a conference will give you a maximum of 10hrs, contributing posts on Pod Arena 5 hrs, reviewing journal articles (with notes) 5hrs, community volunteering activities 5hrs...

It's not exactly difficult to get the 20hrs up if you contribute to a range of activities. I think the key factor is that it does appear you have to make a little effort. You can't just pay to go to a conference, park your butt in the back row, eat mints and get your 20 hrs. Likewise, you can't just spend all your time on Pod Arena to get your 20 hrs. You need to supply proof of contribution if required by audit (up to 5yrs). I suspect that plenty of pods will get caught out in an audit.

 

Which document was that. The one I was quoting above is only 2 pages:
http://www.podiatryboard.gov.au/documents/Continuing professional development.pdf

Do you have a link to the one you are talking about?

 

I found it. That 85 pg document is the consultation document. Not the final document. The two page one I linked to is dated 29 April and does not specify the detail that is in the consultation document ... so we need to get clarified the status.

 

Its good to see that the Chair of the Board is working on Sundays. Have got this clarification from him:

Thanks Jason ....

 

So 10 hours self directed learning and 10 hours made up of conferences, courses.

Paul if you read this does Portal of boot camp etc count as self directed ie I´m watching this in my own time or is it a conference ?

also does anyone know if the CPR course/updates count as part of the 20hours or is that outside ?

distance may make the heart grown fonder but it may be a pain in the ass to keep up with CPD points from the boondocks.

 

Great question Michael...one which I probably cannot answer.

If I was in consultation with the Reg Board on this my advice would be that it is technically both.

The PORTAL view has and always will be that PORTAL is simply the medium that brings an event to you. There is no difference attending a "live" conference/event via PORTAL than there would be if you were actually sitting in the room in person.

Similarly for On Demand or Premium On Demand events on PORTAL such as Biomechanics Boot Camp there is technically no difference from our point of view whether you watch it on PORTAL or you go in person. The education imparted is exactly the same in both instances.

However currently our Premium On Demand events do have a questionnaires associated with them. I say currently because we are now looking at the National Registration guidelines to see if we still require this - my thought is that we do not.

With National Registration there will be a few changes to PORTAL - technically like Podiatry Arena "anything" you do on PORTAL may be claimed as CPD. This will include watching any of the 300+ hours of FREE On Demand videos. Currently NSW Pods have not been able to claim any FREE On Demand videos as CPD as they have not had a questionnaire associated with them.

At PORTAL we understand what a complex job it must have been implement such a program nationwide, and we definitely applaud the people (such as Jason Warnock, Paul Tinley amongst others) who have been involved in its set up and implementation.

I am sure further clarity will be provided in coming months and that the National CPD Program will continue to evolve and be refined over time.

At PORTAL we look forward to working with the Board on any future aspects of Medical Education - including automated CPD points tracking.