RCVS Council moves to strengthen CPD requirements

Following recent recommendations made by the RCVS Education Strategy Steering Group (ESSG), RCVS Council decided at its November meeting that continuing professional development (CPD) should now be promoted as a mandatory requirement of veterinary surgeons.

One of the ten guiding principles of the current RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct is the expectation that veterinary surgeons will maintain and continue to develop their professional knowledge and skills. Council is determined that all practising members should realise the importance of this requirement and ensure they keep up-to-date.

Council's decision to strengthen this professional obligation means that the Guide will be revised to reflect the mandatory nature of CPD, a requirement that will be enforced as far as possible under the existing legislative framework.

Currently, formal documentation of CPD is required when enrolling for RCVS certificates and diplomas, as well as for practices applying to join the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme. It is also taken into account by the Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees in the event of a complaint being made against a veterinary surgeon.

Under a new Veterinary Surgeons Act, the RCVS would aim to link CPD to a renewable licence to practise. Council is keen to ensure that the College's overall education framework truly encourages lifelong learning, starting with the professional development phase for new veterinary graduates, leading on to modular certificates, and mandatory CPD.

However, CPD need not be an expensive burden on practices or individuals. Whilst there are many varied courses organised by commercial providers and external organisations, not all CPD need be undertaken in this way.

For example, veterinary surgeons can accrue CPD via in-house training, as part of informal networks of colleagues ('learning sets'), or even by self-directed learning where this is part of a properly structured and planned programme.

The important thing to remember is that all veterinary surgeons should be able to account for how they are keeping themselves up to date and maintaining their professional competence. The College's CPD card should help in this regard - a new one is distributed to members every January and is also available in electronic format on RCVSonline.

Veterinary surgeons are free to use whatever system suits them best, providing their CPD is properly planned and documented.