CPD changes now in effect – understand your obligations

01 Dec 2020

From today, 1 December 2020, the revised Continuing professional development (CPD) registration standard is in effect.

The revised CPD standard and associated guidelines apply to all optometrists registered with the Optometry Board of Australia (the Board) except those with student or non-practising registration.

The Board has produced a number of resources to help optometrists understand how to meet its revised standard. 

The biggest changes include:

• CPD activities will be measured in hours not points
• optometrists must complete the required number of CPD hours over one year instead of the previous requirement to complete points over two years
• optometrists who hold a scheduled medicine endorsement must complete a minimum of 30 hours of CPD each year with at least 10 hours relating to the endorsement
• optometrists who are not endorsed must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD each year
• CPD activities do not need to be accredited but must meet the requirements of the CPD standard
• CPD that meets the standard must help improve patient outcomes and experiences, draw on best available evidence, improve your competence, keep you up to date and build on your existing knowledge
• non-scientific/non-clinical CPD activities are limited to a maximum of five hours each year (this is similar to the current restriction on activities relating to optical goods and equipment provided by suppliers and manufacturers), and
• the criteria allowing exemptions from CPD will change.
  

More details can be found on our CPD page. The Board encourages all practitioners to familiarise themselves with the changes and begin applying them in their practice.