More CPD points allocated to recognise GPs’ pandemic response

As part of a commitment to supporting members in their continuing professional development (CPD), the college Board has given an additional 25 CPD points for the 2020–22 triennium to all GPs participating in the RACGP CPD Program.
 
The new points follow a recent allocation of 25 points in November 2021, in recognition of GPs’ ongoing efforts during COVID-19.
 
In addition to maintaining day-to-day roles of providing care, GPs have adjusted to and adopted many new ways of delivering care since the start of the pandemic.
 
‘By awarding the 25 points, the college recognises the commitment by GPs to being one of the most critical parts of the health system response to the pandemic, in addition to ensuring that they are up to date with the developments in relation to COVID as they play out,’ Chair of the RACGP Post-Vocational Education Committee, Dr Lara Roeske, told newsGP.
 
‘We’re also recognising the extraordinary efforts made by GPs to ensure that they align with the latest evidence and developments so that they can meet the needs of their patients.’
 
In her almost three decades practising as a GP, Dr Roeske said she has never had to adapt so rapidly.
 
‘There’s not been a time ever … that I’ve had to adapt in an ongoing manner my education, my professional development, and update and meet educational requirements, to be at the very crest of the pandemic and what it really presents to us – week-in week-out, month-in month-out, year-in year-out – over the last triennium,’ she said.
 
With GPs continuing to be at the forefront of the pandemic, this brings the need to update knowledge and skills to support their community’s COVID and post-COVID response.
 
‘We are [also] having to educate ourselves around repeated infections, managing patients with long COVID, and understanding these cases of new variants as they emerge,’ Dr Roeske said.
 
‘The change is rapid, it’s ongoing, there’s an enormous amount of information for GPs to absorb.
 
‘And it’s not only about absorbing this information, it’s then being able to appropriately and safely put it into their practices, into their systems, and into their clinical care.’
 
The RACGP has developed a number of COVID-19 clinical resources to support GPs, including guidelines on home care and post-COVID management, and oral antiviral treatments.
 
According to Dr Roeske, one silver lining of the pandemic is how it has positioned with the 2020–22 CPD triennium.
 
‘The current triennium falls in line with the first pandemic that we’ve seen in our time – many GPs have never experienced a pandemic like this,’ she said.
 
‘So we’ve got an “alignment” with the pandemic in this triennium, which is actually fortunate in a way because it really allows us to do something incredibly important, and that is to both recognise the contribution and the commitment.’
 
The additional 25 CPD points are equivalent to 12.5 hours of educational activities, are in addition to anything already uploaded as COVID-related activity. They have been automatically added to CPD accounts.
 
To date, the RACGP has awarded 75 CPD points for COVID-related education activities, equivalent to 37.5 hours.
 
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