Our first CPD webinar is now available
We’ve answered the questions we couldn’t get to in the Webinar below:
General
Will certificates of attendance be emailed to attendees for all the webinars?
Certificates will not be provided for the webinars. These are not required as evidence or proof of attendance.
For non-clinical work environments, can you expand on what the definition of “physiotherapy practice” is?
Physiotherapy practise encompasses any role where physiotherapy skills and knowledge are utilised. This covers a wide range of working environments which reflects the variety of roles in which physiotherapists practise.
The Recertification Programme is for those of us who hold an APC. Is there a minimum number of clinical hours you need to work to hold an APC?
No, there is no minimum number of working hours required to hold or maintain an APC.
What happens when courses are cancelled due to reduced numbers wanting to attend – therefore impacting on a professional development plan?
The Board understands that plans can change at the last minute, especially over the last two years. PDPs can be changed at any point, they’re a plan, a guide to what you would like to develop based on your learning needs.
If courses are cancelled or plans change, you can alter the PDP. You could look to include the cancelled course in the next year’s plan and then look to include some alternative CPD options in this year’s plan.
If this results in not meeting your CPD hours over the three-year period and you are selected for audit there is an opportunity to let us know the reasons why you could not meet your CPD requirements when you submit online.
Can you please provide more detail on the process of your “random” selection? Is there any breakdown of different types of providers or work contexts or overseas vs in NZ?
The random selection is generated by the database. As the Board does not hold a record of physiotherapists’ workplaces there is no breakdown of the work environments of those selected for audit.
Some practitioners are also included in the audit for other reasons such as a failed competence review.
What percentage of physiotherapists are selected?
Each year approximately 5% of physiotherapist’s who hold an APC are selected.
If you are coming back from a non-practising status to holding an APC, are you more likely to be audited? Or are you just part of the random selection?
Generally, if you are returning to holding an APC (from non- practising status) you are part of the random selection process.
When is the audit due by, how long do we get to complete it?
Physiotherapists selected for audit are usually emailed in the first week of July and recertification submissions are due towards the end of August/early September. If you are selected for audit, check your email for the due date.
If we are re-audited within the last three years can some of the documents, e.g., reflective statements be resubmitted as evidence?
The Board expectation is that the submission is of more recent supporting documents. The requirements for each section can be found in the guidance document.
Professional Development Plan
If I got selected this year, do I supply only 1 x PDP for the last year, or 1 for each of the past 3 years?
You would just need to submit one PDP (from the previous practising year).
Will you be looking to see if the PDP correlates with the CPD log when it is submitted?
In general no, as the CPD log is not routinely collected as part of the audit.
The Board may however require some physiotherapists to submit their CPD logs so it will need to be kept up-to-date and include all CPD activities including those completed as part of the PDP.
Can they not be a health provider for professional peer? Could a PDP be my supervisor, who is an OT? I think she understands my pathway well!
It is expected that in most cases the Professional Peer will be another physiotherapist with a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC). The most appropriate peer for physiotherapists who work non-clinically could be another health professional, who holds a current APC.
If a non-health professional was used as the peer, there would need to be specific reasons to justify this choice and an ability for that person to assess the quality of CPD planed and undertaken.
Do you have to use the template for Professional Development Plan provided by the Board, or can you use the one that you already complete via your individual workplace?
The PDP must be submitted using the Board’s template.
Just want to check if we can incorporate all of our CPD hours (100hrs) within the PDP with clear structure and dates/details, can we negate the logbook record to minimise duplication? Record of details of activities will still be kept.
Generally, the Board doesn’t require a copy of all the CPD activities undertaken.
If the CPD was planned as part of the PDP then it would be recorded there, otherwise activities that aren’t planned for but are still CPD would be recorded elsewhere in a separate log.
Peer Review
Do we need to do a peer review every year or one in a 3-year period?
You are required to complete a peer review annually.
Would clinical observation, with the patient’s consent, with a physio colleague count as a peer review?
Yes, if it has been decided prior to the consultation that the clinical observation is a peer review.
If you hold an APC but do not have a clinical load (manager or academic role) – what should the peer review look like?
Your peer review could take a number of forms depending on your role, for example, as an academic you could ask a peer to review a lecture or tutorial for you, requesting that they focus on how you interact with the students, as that is something you have been trying to improve or wish to get feedback on.
As a manager you could ask another manager in your work area to review a situation you have had to manage, e.g., a performance appraisal for staff member.
Is one peer review for one year required for submission or one for each of 3 years
While an annual peer review is required, if selected for audit you will only be asked to complete the confirmation template for the most recent year’s peer review.
Reflective Statements
Regarding the reflective statements – if we are audited for a 3-year cycle, do we need to provide 9 reflective statements (ie. 3 per year)?
No. Over the three-year cycle you are required to complete nine reflections (three each year), however, if you are selected for audit, you will only be required to submit three of the nine.
Can you do a reflective statement on Māori culture, and cultural and professional? or does it have to be Māori culture, professional and ethical?
Each year you are required to complete three reflective statements – one specific to Māori culture and how this relates to your practice, and two reflective statements from two of the following categories relevant to your area of practice: cultural, ethical, and professional.
The only mandatory reflection category is Māori culture. The other two can be made up from the other categories.
Can you write a reflection on a CPD event? eg: things I am learning on Māori culture during this session.
If the Webinar session has triggered or identified a learning need then it can be used as a starting point for more learning and potentially a reflection.
CPD hours
I have been using the online physio log. Are you developing it further as it does not keep a running tally of the hours of education? The previous Physiolog app was very good for that.
The Physiolog APP is not run by or endorsed by the Physiotherapy Board.
For any enquiries regarding the app please contact the Physiolog team at: [email protected]
What if you just returned to NZ last year and renewed an inactive registration, so do not have a log of CPD hours until arriving in NZ a year ago.
CPD requirements which are part of the Recertification Programme are only required for the time you have held an APC.
If you have been overseas and held a non-practising status with the Board, the requirements for the programme will only begin from the date your APC was issued.
For example, if this year’s audit covers the period form 1 April 2019 – 31 March 2022 and you returned to NZ and were issued an APC from the 1 April 2021 then your CPD requirements will be pro-rated from that date (1 April 2021).
If you have any questions about how many hours this would be please get in touch with the recertification team.
Can I include university papers as my CPD?
Yes, if it is relevant to your physiotherapy practise.