It's a requirement of the Australian Medical Council’s accreditation of our CPD program that there's a random audit process for CPD participants. To meet this requirement, each year we select a minimum of seven per cent of participants to have their CPD records (CPD portfolio entries) verified.
We have a proud record on accuracy and completion with our annual verification results between 98.3% - 100% compliance over the past six years. The 2021 audit was the first time we reached 100% compliance, with full details available here. Additionally, almost all of the very small percentage (1.7 - 0.5%) that could not be successfully verified in their year have since been supported and are now across the line.
Yes, we have closely monitored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on participants meeting their CPD requirements. As such, we'll not be requesting CPD evidence from participants during their 2020 year in the 2020 -2022 CPD triennium.
There are six stages to the CPD verification process run by the college’s CPD team and overseen by the ANZCA and FPM CPD Committtee – selection, notification, support reminders, submissions due, verification checks and completion. This process runs from late August to end of March annually.
1. Selection (August)
The CPD portfolio randomly selects at least seven percent of CPD participants. This means some may be re-selected from previous years and includes participants in all three years of the triennium. All fellows, maintaining medical registration in Australia or New Zealand, may also be selected. The list for selection is generated in late August.
To ensure a completely random selection, the college uses an algorithm bulit into the online CPD portfolio which randomly selects college identification numbers. As this is an automated program, there is always the possibility of being selected in consecutive years.
2. Notification (September)
Selected participants are notified from September if their records will be subject to verification. An alert will also appear on the participants CPD portfolio. Following this notification, participants will be required to ensure their CPD portfolios are updated with completed CPD activities. Documentary evidence to substantiate participation of CPD activities is required, and can be directly uploaded to the portfolio or alternatively sent to the college by email or post if unable to upload.
3. Support reminders (September – December)
Following notification, the CPD Team send support reminder emails with information to clarify what is required from selected participants. College publications (such as the ANZCA Bulletin, ANZCA E-newsletter, website, social media) are also used to promote this information. This usually includes details on specific requirements, links to available resources and helpful prompts to meet the 31 December deadline.
4. Submission (31 December)
Selected participants have until 31 December to update their CPD portfolio with supporting evidence for their minimum CPD requirements.
5. Verification checks (January – March)
The verification checks begin in January and usually continue until the end of March. This is a detailed and immense task with approximately 50,000 pieces of evidence checked annually. After which participants are notified by email if the evidence provided has confirmed their recorded CPD activities, or if further clarification of evidence is required. Successful completion will also appear in participants CPD portfolio ‘Statements and certificates’ tab.
6. Completion (31 March)
Once all the verification checks are completed, and clarification sought for any records, the CPD team finalise the results and present to the CPD Committee (and respected committees). Participants unable to demonstrate CPD compliance are reselected for CPD verification or considered under Regulation 26 – Standards of professional practice.
The process of verification is relatively straight forward for most fellows and CPD participants. Best practice is to upload evidence as you go so that the records are already in the CPD portfolio, readily facilitating our audit, hospital records and MBA/MCNZ. Each CPD activity clearly identifies in both the CPD portfolio and CPD handbook the evidence required for that activity. Ultimately, evidence requested is to verify participation or completion.
Good news, we don't require evidence for CPD activities that auto-populate to the CPD portfolio such as ANZCA or FPM run events (e.g. Annual scientific meeting (ASM) or workplace-based assessments logged in the training portfolio system (TPS) or online learning through Networks. Once participants have confirmed the activity from their ‘pending’ folder, no additional evidence is required for verification.