The Importance of Continuing Professional Development in Delivering High Quality Patient-Centred Care. Essay Example
This essay aims to discuss the importance of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) within a National Health Service (NHS) medical imaging department; and how it contributes to delivering high quality patient-centred care. It will include any associated advantages and/or disadvantages to the NHS and imaging department; and discuss the impact of compulsory CPD associated with management and service delivery. Finally, radiography specific examples of CPD currently documented within the NHS will we stated with suggestions for increased uptake of CPD within imaging departments.
CPD is described by the Health Professionals Council (HPC) as ‘a range of learning activities through which individuals can maintain and develop throughout their careers, to ensure that they retain a capacity to practice legally, safely and effectively within an evolving scope of practice’ (HPC, 2006: 1). All radiographers must be registered by the HPC in order to practice in the United Kingdom; ensuring regulation and compliance with prescribed standards of practice. This therefore provides public protection. In 2005 the HPC made CPD a mandatory requirement for all health professionals in order to remain registered, or if renewing registration (SCoR, 2008: 5). Registrants are required to keep accurate, continuous and up-to-date CPD records of activities. This includes professionals in full or part-time work, in management, research or education (HPC, 2006: 3). The activities should be varied and include for example, work based learning, professional activity, formal education and self directed learning; which should have relevance to current or future practice (HPC, 2006: 2).
The practitioner must aim to show that the quality of their practice, service delivery and service user have benefited as a result of the CPD. In addition to patients, ‘service user’ also encompasses clients, department-team and students (HPC, 2006: 4). To ensure compliance with HPC standards, a random
CPD is described by the Health Professionals Council (HPC) as ‘a range of learning activities through which individuals can maintain and develop throughout their careers, to ensure that they retain a capacity to practice legally, safely and effectively within an evolving scope of practice’ (HPC, 2006: 1). All radiographers must be registered by the HPC in order to practice in the United Kingdom; ensuring regulation and compliance with prescribed standards of practice. This therefore provides public protection. In 2005 the HPC made CPD a mandatory requirement for all health professionals in order to remain registered, or if renewing registration (SCoR, 2008: 5). Registrants are required to keep accurate, continuous and up-to-date CPD records of activities. This includes professionals in full or part-time work, in management, research or education (HPC, 2006: 3). The activities should be varied and include for example, work based learning, professional activity, formal education and self directed learning; which should have relevance to current or future practice (HPC, 2006: 2).
The practitioner must aim to show that the quality of their practice, service delivery and service user have benefited as a result of the CPD. In addition to patients, ‘service user’ also encompasses clients, department-team and students (HPC, 2006: 4). To ensure compliance with HPC standards, a random