Education is now more important than ever with the emphasis on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to help FHT Members / Affiliates keep pace with requirements of the self-regulatory bodies.
The Health Professions Council (HPC) defines Continuing Professional Development (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”.
The FHT agrees with the HPC that the intention of CPD for therapists is to improve the QUALITY of their current or future work. Therapists should be aiming to use their CPD to benefit the people who use their services, which may include clients, students or colleagues.
l CPD 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 l CPD completes your education - your first qualification is only the start of the journey, you will be learning more from each client. CPD can provide a way for you to reflect on that practice in a structured way. l CPD will soon be compulsory - under the proposed Voluntary Self-Regulation Schemes under the CNHC 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 CPD in professional practice
The FHT measures CPD on a points scale – FHT Members / Affiliates* are expected to complete a minimum of 10 CPD points per membership year. For example if a member joined or renewed their FHT membership in March 2011, 10 CPD points will need to have been acquired by March 2012.
CPD points can be gained from a wide variety of sources, as explained further on our CPD advisory leaflet (link below).
These can be categorised into:
a) Work-based learningb) Professional activityc) Formal/educationald) Self-directed activities
FHT monitors CPD activity by its membership by operating a sampling process. Evidence must be put into a suitable portfolio that may be requested for inspection by the FHT at point of renewal.
Please note that only 50% of CPD points can be gained through work-based learning and self-directed activities.
For more information download our CPD advisory leaflet >>>