Revised CPD guidelines published today

24 Oct 2019

The Chiropractic Board of Australia (the Board), along with four other National Boards, has today published an advance copy of its revised continuing professional development guidelines (CPD guidelines).

The revised CPD guidelines provide additional information for chiropractors about how to meet the revised CPD standard. The Board previously published an advance copy of the revised CPD registration standard (CPD standard) on 31 July 2019.

The revised CPD standard and guidelines will apply from 1 December 2019 to all registered chiropractors in Australia except those with student or non-practising registration.

Chiropractors will need to declare that they have met the obligations of the revised CPD standard when they renew their registration in 2020. Chiropractors must declare they meet the current CPD standard when they renew their registration in November this year.

The Board encourages chiropractors to read the revised CPD registration standard and guidelines to make sure they are familiar with the updated requirements.

Under the revised standard, the number of hours of CPD that chiropractors are required to undertake each year will change to 20 hours of CPD in each registration year instead of 25 hours.

The ways in which chiropractors can meet the revised CPD standard will be more flexible. Chiropractors will no longer need to undertake formal learning activities. Instead, chiropractors must develop learning goals, plan their CPD activities to meet those goals and reflect on how they will improve their practice based on what they have learned.

To meet the revised standard, CPD activities must:

• seek to improve patient health outcomes, safety and experiences
• draw on best available evidence, including well-established and accepted knowledge that is supported by research where possible, to inform good practice and decision-making
• contribute directly to maintaining and improving competence (performance and behaviour) and keeping up to date in the chosen scope and setting of practice, and
• build on existing knowledge.

Chiropractors will continue to be required to maintain a first aid qualification at least equivalent to HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Chiropractors may also choose to fulfil this requirement by holding a first aid qualification equivalent to HLTAID003 Provide First Aid.

Chiropractors are required to keep a portfolio that records their learning goals, the CPD activities they undertake and their reflection on the effect that the CPD has had on their practice.

The Board is developing additional guidance material to help practitioners understand and meet the revised CPD standard. Additional material including an updated FAQ about CPD and a template CPD portfolio will be published on the Board’s website in the Codes and guidelines section in coming months.

National Boards published a consultation report providing a summary of the consultation on the revised CPD registration standards on 31 July 2019. The report and additional information are published on the AHPRA website.

For further information

• Visit the Board’s website.
• Lodge an online enquiry form.
• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 9275 9009 (overseas callers).
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200.