Guest post from John Long Chiropodist - CPD and the HPC

The HPC publication from which this information was taken can be downloaded from here.....

http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10001314CPD_and_your_registration.pdf

The particular reference to CPD, (Continuing Professional Development), and competency will be found on page 4 of the publication.

The text in italics is from the HPC publication shown above.

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There is no automatic link between your CPD and your competence.

That is a very clear statement from the HPC.

This is because it would be possible (although unlikely) for a competent professional not to undertake any CPD and yet still meet our standards for their skills and knowledge.

I think you need to read this again!

Why would it be unlikely?

If a competent professional does not undertake any CPD and still meets the HPC standards for skills and knowledge then surely, by definition, they are competent.

Equally, it would be possible for a registrant who was not competent to complete a lot of CPD activities but still not be fit to practise.

I totally agree.

There is no reason to believe that CPD will improve the fitness to practise, (FTP), of any individual.

We have a separate process (our fitness to practise procedures) for dealing with lack of competence, and this is not linked to our powers to make sure registrants undertake CPD.

OK, I now understand what CPD is not for. CPD is nothing to do with competence or fitness to practise, in fact there is not even a link between CPD and Competence/FTP. So why, exactly, does the HPC get involved with CPD?

The Health Professions Order 2001 says that we can set standards for CPD, and we can link these standards to renewing registration.

The Order says that the HPC can set standards for CPD and that they can link these standards to renewing registration. It does not say that they must do so.

There must be a compelling reason why the HPC does decide to get involved and, as the HPC has made clear, it is nothing to do with competency or fitness to practise.

We can also take registrants off our Register if they have not met our standards for CPD (although there is a right to appeal).

Hang on a minute. The HPC has stressed that CPD is nothing to do with competence or fitness to practise, therefore, CPD is nothing to do with public protection.

The HPC is keen to say that they have the “ powers to make sure registrants undertake CPD”. Note the use of that word “powers”.

Now I am not against CPD at all. In my long experience all professionals are constantly updating their skills and knowledge, that is in the nature of being a professional.

The difference now is that any such updating of skills and knowledge must be done to HPC standards regardless of the fact that those CPD standards are not linked in any way to competency or fitness to practise.

Being “struck off” is the most severe action the HPC can take against a registrant.

A registrant who is struck off is forbidden, by law, to use their professional title.

A registrant who is struck off will lose their job where that job requires a professional title.

A registrant can be struck off for not undertaking CPD to HPC standards regardless of the obvious fact that those standards do nothing to protect the public.

WHY?