CPD - Continuing Professional Development
All health care professionals are required to continually update their professional knowledge and skills. Professional responsibility and adherence to this requirement allows patients to benefit.
The HPCSA regulates a Continuing Professional Development programme which requires that every practitioner accumulates 30 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) per twelve-month period of which 5 of these units must be on ethics, human rights and medical law.
CEU’s are valid for 24 months from the date on which the activity took place (or ended, in the event of post-graduate studies) after which it would they expire. Therefore practitioners should aim to accumulate a balance of 60 CEUs by the end of their second year of practise, and thereafter top-up the balance through additional CPD activities as CEU’s will be expiring as they reach the 24 month validity period.
The HPCSA conduct mandatory random audits to ensure that practitioners remain compliant. Practitioners are selected and required submit their CPD portfolio to Council as requested.
SADA recommends that Practitioners ensure that they receive certificates for all activities attended which have been approved for accreditation. The provider of the activity is responsible for the issuing of the certificate to the attendee. All attendance certificates and relevant documentation should be stored in a safe place for easy access if required for auditing purposes.
SADA runs a CPD Questionnaire programme in the ten annual issues of the SADJ. The questionnaire may be completed online if you are a SADA member. SADA members can accumulate all their CPD points through SADA activities, which include the publication of CPD Questionnaires in the SA Dental Journal, as well as accredited SADA Study Groups, Branch Events, Congresses and Website Questionnaires.
For complete CPD guidelines from the statutory body please visit
http://www.hpcsa.co.za/cpd_overview.php
