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There are two significant changes to our CPD offering that members need to be aware of:

• One CPD programme – for both GPs and rural hospital doctors
• A new method of recording your CPD activities – a new online recording mechanism will be introduced in 2021

MCNZ has been signalling changes to its recertification requirements since 2015 and after two rounds of sector consultation (in 2017 and 2018), it published its new vision and principles for recertification in 2019. The new model values professional development activities that are of value to a doctor’s work context.

• Reduced requirements - from 150 credits to 120 credits per triennial period, 30 of these credits are assigned to the maintenance of a professional development plan and completion of an annual conversation.

• New reporting categories:
  • Reviewing and Reflecting on Practice (RRP) 
  • Measuring and Improving Outcomes (MIO)
  • Continuing Medical Education (CME)

• Simpler rules:
  • no requirement to gather and record verification certificates
  • no waiting period for your CPD activities to be approved
  • removal of compulsory audit of medical practice (Audit) activities 

• Increased flexibility:
  • Unplanned learning is encouraged
  • Self-select the activities you formally reflect and report on

• High trust:
  • Self-assign credits to activities that did not have a pre-determined allocation or were of high value – in these instances your evidence will support these decisions

• Clearer reporting requirements:
  • One, single reporting date (1 March) 
  • Clear annual requirements

• Evidence based:
  • Meaningful reflections used as evidence of engagement with CPD

• Increased focus on:
  • Planning for learning 
  • Evaluating learning
  • Working with your colleagues

In response to the MCNZ’s new recertification model, the College established a working group to review and update it CPD programmes. During 2019 feedback was collected from our Education Advisory Group, Te Akoranga a Māui, the Division of Rural Hospital Board of Studies, and Medical Educators and Fellows. The resulting programme has been purposefully designed to suit our members’ scope of practice and way of working. It applies to both GPs and rural hospital doctors.

In line with MCNZ requirements, the new CPD programme includes a strengthened commitment to health equity and cultural safety. 

Practising in a culturally safe manner is an essential part of your work. Your health equity and cultural safety learning should not be viewed in isolation but should be an integral part of your ongoing educational activities. 

While the programme offers a great deal of flexibility, there are two mandatory components which have been set by MCNZ:

• Professional Development Plan (PDP): Members are required to have a current PDP in place.  A well-formed professional development plan (PDP) forms the basis of your annual conversation.\
• Annual Conversation: This is a new requirement which includes a facilitated review of your completed PDP activities and supporting evidence. This structured activity is based on your maintained professional development plan. 

Your PDP and Annual Conversation make up 25 percent of your CPD requirements. 

The MCNZ moratorium on CPD recording ends on 28 February 2021, so from 1 March 2021 members will carry on doing CPD activities as they have been previously.

Our CME providers will continue to record activities and upload attendance data as is currently the process. This will not change

The new requirements build on existing systems and put emphasis on recertification activities that relate to the actual work doctors do and that are most likely to improve practice. Similarly, this would be the case for our members working in a less clinical setting.

Over a triennium your PDP should consider all six domains of general practice, three learning categories, and health equity and cultural safety. We are currently working on presenting these aspects in a user-friendly way for our members to connect goals and activities to in an easy and meaningful way.

No, peer groups remain as they are with more flexibility to engage in self-designed peer activities. The annual conversation is a structured time between two peers.

The CPD team are creating resources to help you to prepare for an AC, and for AC facilitators to prepare for conducting a session insightfully and supportively.