How To Fulfill The Requirement Of CPD for Medical Appraisal?

Posted by David Bradley on July 14th, 2016

The GMC revalidation encompasses a complete scope of doctor's practice. To complete the requirements of medical appraisal and revalidation doctors are required to collect supporting information which includes the evidence of their CPD (continuing professional development), clinical audit, outcome data, any significant events, complaints and feedback from the patients and colleagues. During the appraisal meeting, the doctors are required to reflect upon their supporting information.

The doctors are required to fulfill the mandatory requirement of 50 credit hours of their continuing professional development (CPD) for medical appraisal and revalidation. It's a credit system which is based on the number of hours the doctors have to spend on the activity and record what impact it has on the doctor's medical practice, patients and the service.

The CPD should be relevant to the practice of the doctor taking into account the environment as well as the context of their medical practice while exploring the benefits of their learning across their medical speciality. Doctors are required to keep up-to-date in all the field of Good Medical Practice which include;

•    Good professional practice
•    Maintaining the standards of good medical practice
•    Maintaining relationship with patients and colleagues
•    Training and teaching
•    Health
•    Probity

The ways of adding to CPD

There are numerous ways in which the doctors can enhance their learning and add that to their CPD for medical appraisal. These include the following;

•    Reading research journals: There are a large number of research-based medical journals published on monthly or annually. These journals help the doctors in keeping their knowledge up-to-date. They provide information about the latest research in your field of speciality and add to your CPD hours. Reading not just increases your knowledge but will also bring about improvements in your medical practice.

•    Attending internal teaching sessions: Attend the teaching sessions at your workplace. This will provide a wealth of knowledge as well as will provide with an added benefit of interacting with colleagues and reflecting on what has been taught and learned.

•    Attending local deaneries: The local deaneries are an excellent source of enhancing your knowledge. Their courses are often cheap or sometimes free so attending these courses will add to your CPD credit.

•    Join e-learning courses: There are numerous free and paid e-learning modules available for the doctors. The doctors can join the modules which they find relevant to their speciality. It will contribute towards their learning and their professional medical practice.

•    Attending conferences and workshops: The conferences and workshops take place throughout the year for the medical professionals pertaining to different medical specialities. The doctors can attend these which count towards their CPD credit hours.

•    BMJ Learning resources: This is an invaluable resource for the doctors. The BMJ website has more than 1000 modules related to clinical and other pertinent non-clinical topics related to career development. It also provides a portfolio function which can be quite helpful in recording the CPD. The BMA members are provided with a free access to these learning modules and a large number of modules are also free for the registered BMJ users.