Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

AAPT (UK) Meeting 17 January 2005

Christian Burt reports from a meeting held in January on the development of the AAPT's Continuing Professional Development Scheme. The presentations from the meeting are available below and contain useful professional information.

“I found the meeting very informative and broadened my knowledge of CPD”

“An excellent introduction to CPD and an insight into what the future hold”

Just two comments from when a group of 20 Association members gathered on a January morning for an update on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) issues and future registration.

The Association has recently produced a binder, kindly sponsored by AFOS (UK) Limited, that contains guidance and recording information for CPD purposes. With the recent formation of the Voluntary Registration Council (VRC) to act as the stepping-stone to full Health Professions Council (HPC) registration, the meeting was certainly a timely event.

The Secretary of the Association Council, Christian Burt, was the first to speak and gave an overview of the work of the AAPT (UK) to date. The main objective of the AAPT (UK) was to “enhance the role and professional standing of anatomical pathology technologists”.

Membership had now reached just under 230 and this represented approximately 30% of all APT staff across the UK – an encouraging figure. In order to meet its objectives Council was continuing to work closely with the professional bodies that had been instrumental in providing support since the formation in April 2003. The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) continued to provide database, secretarial and website support and offered a direct link to biomedical scientist managers in cellular pathology laboratories.

Christian then updated the audience on the relationship of the Association with the Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH). It was noted that the RIPH was no longer in merger talks with the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). The RIPH continued to have a representative on Council with AAPT (UK) Council member Terry Johnson an elected member of the RIPH Board of Education and Examination. Work was ongoing with regard to the assessment of the RIPH Diploma of Anatomical Pathology Technology and RIPH Certificate of Anatomical Pathology Technology for future registration purposes.

The links with the Royal College of Pathologists were encouraging and the President Professor Lucas would later review the latest developments.

Christian continued that it was the Association’s viewpoint that trainee’s be employed with a minimum education entry level. All eligible Association members would be expected to apply for entrance to the voluntary register leading to full HPC registration. A specific domain with the Association website had been created to update APT staff on the registration process.

He concluded that “ all Associations members would be encouraged to participate and record CPD activity” and the Association was extremely grateful to AFOS Limited for the production of the CPD Guidance and Recording Sheets.

The Executive Head of Science at the IBMS, Priya Rasanayagam was the next to speak. Priya had been instrumental in the review of the IBMS CPD scheme and gave an overview of the general ethos of CPD. She asked the question “Why a professional body CPD scheme”? It was hoped that the Association was providing a service to its members in order to maintain professional standards and ensure members kept up-to-date.

Priya continued that, “CPD should meet the requirements of regulatory bodies, professional bodies, employers and the individual”.

A learning cycle model was described for an individual to assess their own needs and those of their employer, to work out a plan to meet needs, carry out activity and record and evaluate learning. Priya explained this model was beneficial to APT staff – it recognises learning and there are no sanctions imposed, just an increase in personal confidence.

The IBMS had recently introduced a reflective learning element to its CPD scheme and the Association had adopted this approach. By adopting a reflective approach, participants can review their daily practice and identify any problem areas.

Priya highlighted areas of general learning such as reading journals, discussions, e learning and attending courses; and also developmental learning through undertaking further study.

To conclude, Priya asked the audience should CPD be Challenging, Professional and Day-to-Day and was it not to be?

The next speaker was Gordon Sutehall, the President-Elect of the IBMS and a Council Member of the HPC. The HPC had undertaken a CPD Consultation and, the Association as a member organisation of the Federation for Healthcare Science, had responded to this.

The Professions Allied to Medicine consensus definition of CPD is: “the systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities necessary for the execution of professional and scientific duties throughout the practitioner’s working life”. The Association had adopted this definition for it’s own CPD guidance material.

Mr Sutehall continued that within the HPC CPD Consultation, “ there must be room for competence in here somewhere!”

Competence could be defined as “the ability to perform the tasks and roles required to the expected standard”. Gordon asked, “should CPD activity play a part in development and/or measurement of competence?” It was hoped that APT staff would be professionally registered by 2007 and the audience listened intently as Gordon explained the cycle of obtaining and maintaining competence.

The professional body should have a role in recognition of competence through codes of practice and input into occupational standards. Gordon continued that it was “imperative that competence is measured at the right level” – this could be assessed through regulatory bodies, professional bodies, external assessment, training officers, educational organisations and individuals themselves.

Mr Sutehall then turned attention to the HPC Consultation on CPD. The HPC had a main objective to “safeguard the health and well-being of persons using or needing the services of registrants”. Professionals registered with the HPC must meet minimum standards of proficiency for safe and effective practice.

Gordon presented a brief summary of the various HPC committees and the expected standards for CPD were described. HPC registrants must maintain a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record of their CPD activities and it was encouraging that the Association, as the professional body representing an aspirant group for registration, had provided the recording information for its members.

It was continued that HPC registrants should demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future practice and should seek to ensure that the CPD activity has contributed to the quality of their practice and service delivery. Of future importance to APT staff would be the likely need for HPC registrants to present a written profile containing evidence of their CPD upon request.

The CPD Standards process was described with each HPC registrant needing to make a self-declaration at each renewal. Sample audits would be taken at random from each section of the register. The audit process was explained and the HPC would be providing guidance on preparation of an audit profile.

To conclude, Mr Sutehall left a take home message for APT staff – “the HPC requires CPD, it is a habit that professionals need to embrace before the regulator demands it and the
AAPT (UK) is uniquely placed to promote engagement of CPD by its members”.

As a notable addition to the programme, the President of the AAPT (UK), Professor Sebastian Lucas gave a brief overview of the links between the Association and the Royal College of Pathologists. The President started by announcing “that the AAPT (UK) was the only association recognised by the Royal College to represent the interests of Anatomical Pathology Technologists”.

The audience were delighted that an official working group between the AAPT (UK) and the Royal College had been established with the remit to look at a Code of Professional Practice and to identify areas of extended practice for APT staff. The working group was chaired by Professor Lucas and the Chairman of the Association, Alan Moss, also sat on this group.

In terms of areas for extended practice, transplantation, tissue banking and enucleating had been identified. The working group would also be looking at non-technical areas such as bereavement counselling and health and safety.

A break for lunch gave colleagues a chance to converse and reflect on the morning lectures.

After lunch, AAPT (UK) Council member Terry Johnson talked on the ‘stepping stone’ from voluntary to full registration – the Voluntary Registration Council (VRC). It was the opinion of the AAPT (UK) that registration would help to ensure professional recognition and consistency of standards. The VRC currently had seven member organisations and membership of the Council is via professional bodies.

It was pleasing that Terry had been appointed Chairman and this put APT staff at the forefront of the voluntary registration process. Mr Johnson continued that, “the VRC is in most respects a mirror image of the HPC in terms of structure and operation”. The AAPT (UK) had formed a registration group chaired by Council member James Lowell.

The VRC would produce a common Code of Professional Conduct with application forms and guidance for applicants. The AAPT (UK) would be promoting voluntary registration for all members and non-members – registration was crucial to achieve parity with other healthcare professions.

The AAPT (UK) registration group would identify appropriate entry levels for the voluntary register and evaluate current training and education against future needs. Terry concluded that, “the voluntary registration process would likely begin in summer of this year”.

The day ended with a question and answer session, with participants encouraged to record and reflect on the day with their CPD Portfolio.

Presentations

AAPT (UK): An overview - 1 April to present

Voluntary Registration Council for aspirant healthcare science professions

CPD or not to be?

CPD and HPC: There must be room for 'competence' in here somewhere!

Christian Burt
Secretary, AAPT (UK) Council