CPD Rules amended: final step completed

This means the legislation required to fully implement the new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme is now in place.

To move from the current scheme with its annual cycle to a more flexible three-year cycle of CPD, the GOsC has had to secure the approval of the Privy Council to The General Osteopathic Council (Continuing Professional Development) (Amendment) Rules Order of Council 2018.

The new CPD scheme will begin to be implemented from 1 October 2018 when the amended Rules come into force. Most osteopaths are therefore now in their final annual CPD cycle. Once this final cycle is completed, osteopaths will submit their final CPD Annual Summary Forms and begin the first three-year cycles.

As a requirement of the new three-year CPD cycle, osteopaths need to:

• do 90 hours of CPD over three years (of which 45 hours need to be learning with others);
• include an objective activity;
• include CPD on communication and consent;
• make sure their CPD maps to the four themes of the Osteopathic Practice Standards
• maintain a record of their CPD;
• complete a final peer discussion before the end of the cycle.

When we consulted on these rules in 2017, the following points were raised:

• Support for the removal of the exemption for new graduates.
• Request for clarity about the selection of a peer (this has been included in the Peer Discussion Review guidelines rather than the rules).
• Clarity about how osteopaths move into the new scheme (this is stated within the rules and has been explained more clearly in our communications to osteopaths).
• Clarity about how we will support osteopaths to keep up-to-date throughout the three-year cycle (this has been clarified in the CPD guidance and the registration renewal declaration, which now highlight the obligation to keep up-to-date throughout the three-year cycle).

Visit our dedicated CPD site for further information about the new CPD scheme.