Continuing Personal & Professional Development

Education is now more important than ever with the emphasis on CPPD to help Members keep pace with requirements of the self-regulatory bodies. From January 2007 Members are required to complete a minimum of 10 CPPD points a year.

The General Principles  

What is CPPD? The Health Professions Council define CPD as: "a range of learning activities through which health professionals maintain and develop throughout their career to ensure that they retain their capacity to practice safely, effectively and legally within their evolving scope of practice".

Whilst the term Continuing Professional development is commonly used to describe this activity, FHT have chosen to expand this term to Continuing Personal and Professional development (CPPD). This recognises the overlay between personal and professional development as a continuing ?holistic' process.

CPPD is for your benefit! 

• CPPD keeps you in touch with current practice - knowledge grows over time and there may be better ways of doing things since you qualified or more information about why certain practices are more effective
   
• CPPD completes your education - your first qualification is only the start of the journey, you will be learning more from each client. CPPD can provide a way for you to reflect on that practice in a structured way.
   
• CPPD will soon be compulsory - under the proposed Voluntary Self-Regulation Schemes proposed you will not be allowed to register unless you have completed your annual CPPD. FHT will be supporting this move with a greater emphasis on the role of CPPD in professional practice.
   
• CPPD requirements may be backdated (see below)
   
• CPPD can help expand your treatment range and expertise - by learning new skills and techniques you will be able to offer more to your clients making you more successful as a practitioner.
   
• CPPD is the mark of a true professional - anyone who wants to be taken seriously by the orthodox medical profession should realise that CPPD is evidence of professionalism. Others will look for this as it is the norm for other professional such as Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Teachers, etc. 

CPPD is normally calculated on an annual basis and will come from a variety of different sources, which are outlined in this document. Full Members of FHT are required to complete 10 points of CPPD per year.

Key Facts about CPPD for FHT Members:
 

• Do I have to do CPPD?

From Jan 1st 2007 it will be compulsory for all FHT members to complete a minimum of 10 CPPD points per year. (This is roughly equivalent to 14 hours). FHT Non-Practitioners, FHT Associates and FHT Student Members are not required to complete CPPD.

• Is this for each therapy I practice?

As a multi-disciplinary organisation we do not expect this to be 10 points for each therapy, but 10 points in total. 

• What if I do more than this?

If you do more than this in any one year you may carry over points into the following year. As 2007 will be the first year of this new programme Members have asked whether they will be able to carry forward CPPD points earned in 2006 into 2007. The good news is that you will be able to do this in the same way that if you build up more than the 10 points required in 2007 you can carry the excess over into 2008. This will mean that for CPPD you will be able to start your next year with a flying start! 

• How will FHT know if I have done the required amount?

At each Renewal you will be required to sign to the effect that you have completed your CPD points. Failure to o so may result in expulsion from FHT. You will keep records of all your CPPD in a portfolio. FHT will provide a Folder style portfolio with titled sections and this will be available for sale from FHT from 1st January 2007. You may of course use your on portfolio. FHT will randomly sample a number of Members each year to request that they send in their CPPD portfolios for checking. This will begin in 2008, when 2007 records will be checked. If requested to do so you it is a condition of membership that you send your portfolio by recorded delivery to the Memberships Office within 14 days. 

• Should I send in my evidence of CPPD to the Membership Office?

FHT will no longer record all CPPD on our database. However, if you take further qualifications for which you require recognition or insurance cover, you should still send in copies of your certificates for recording. 

• I can't afford to go on a lot of courses. Are CPPD Points only gained from attending a seminar?

CPPD points can be gained from a wide variety of sources as explained further in this document. These can be categorised into: a) Work-based learning b) Professional activity c) Formal/educational d)Self-directed activities. Up to 50% of CPPD points can be gained through work-based learning and self-directed activities (see CPPD and Seminar Programme 2007, sent to all members upon joining). But evidence must be put in the portfolio. 

• Can new therapy qualifications count for CPPD points?

If you take a new qualification this can be added to your CPPD portfolio record for CPPD points for that year, BUT in order for the qualification to be recognised by FHT for insurance purposes it must be one recognised by FHT e.g. from an established awarding body such as C&G, VTCT, ITEC etc. or an FHT Accredited course from a private school or CFE. 

• Do the Seminars have to be run by FHT to count?

No, CPD will be recognised from external sources such as introductory therapy days from training companies or those run by other associations. 

• Some professions count reading a technical article for CPPD, will this be acceptable?

If one is going to count Reading a technical article as CPPD it should be accompanied by a written piece in your portfolio stating why the article was interesting or useful and any other comments about it.