Legislative Requirements

  Australia *

The Medical Board of Australia Continuing professional development registration standard was approved by the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council on 31 March 2010 pursuant to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (2009) (the National Law) with approval taking effect from 1 July 2010 (WA joined the national scheme on 18 October 2010).

Summary

Medical practitioners who are engaged in any form of medical practice are required to participate regularly in CPD that is relevant to their scope of practice in order to maintain, develop, update and enhance their knowledge, skills and performance to ensure that they deliver appropriate and safe care.

CPD must include a range of activities to meet individual learning needs including practice-based reflective elements, such as clinical audit, peer review or performance appraisal, as well as participation in activities to enhance knowledge such as courses, conferences and online learning. CPD programs of medical colleges accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) meet these requirements.

The RACP is an AMC accredited college.

Note

Hospitals and area health services increasingly require demonstration of participation in
CPD and, in some cases, evidence of participation in a CPD program may be required for
reappointment, salary increments and staff privileges.

For more information regarding the new requirements for mandatory CPD please visit the AHPRA website.
 

 New Zealand *

All registered health practitioners in New Zealand are regulated by the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCAA). The purpose of the HPCAA is to protect the health and safety of the public by providing mechanisms to ensure health practitioners are competent and fit to practice.

The Ministry of Health administers the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Further information can be accessed via the Ministry's website.

Responsible authorities ensure that registered health practitioners are fully competent in the practice of their profession. For physicians and paediatricians the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) is the relevant responsible authority. The recertification program established under HPCAA is one mechanism for ensuring practitioner competence.

Summary

To legally practice medicine in New Zealand, physicians and paediatricians must hold a valid practising certificate and be participating in a recognised recertification program or a CPD program. A practising certificate will only be issued if the physician or paediatrician is complying with the requirements of the recognised recertification program. MyCPD is a recognised recertification program.

The role of RACP is to provide Fellows participating in the MyCPD program with the capability to meet the requirements of obtaining an Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) through the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

The MCNZ requires practitioners obtain a minimum of 50 CPD hours per annum. This must include the following:

• Peer Review - a minimum of 10 hours per year
• Clinical Audit - at least one per year
• Continuing Medical Education - a minimum of 20 hours per year.

In order to show the hours of peer review and clinical audit in MyCPD:
Log into MyCPD - My Specialty Areas - select 'MCNZ peer review requirement' and 'MCNZ clinical audit requirement' - Save Specialty Areas.

Once these changes are saved, each time a new activity is entered you can add the duration of the activity into either the generic (for other CME), peer review or clinical audit boxes. These totals will appear on your certificte of participation.

While cultural competence is not compulsory, it is encouraged that physicians start to think about integrating this into their daily practice.

Please refer to the MCNZ website for further information regarding the requirements of a recognised recertification program.

*NOTE: Information is correct as of May 2011.