The Professional Board for Occupational Therapy and Medical Orthotics/Prosthetics will introduce a system of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for all Occupational Therapists (OT), Medical Orthotists/Prosthetists (OS), Arts Therapists (AT), Assistant Medical Orthotists/Prosthetists and Leatherworkers (AOS), Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTB), Occupational Therapy Technicians (OTT), Orthopaedic Footwear Technicians (OB), Orthopaedic Technical Assistants (OSA), Supplementary Medical Orthotists/Prosthetists (SOS) and Supplementary Occupational Therapists (SOT) on 1 April 2002. Continuing Professional Development is a prerequisite for the practitioner to retain registration in terms of the Health Professions Act.

The CPD system has been developed in such a way as to be user-friendly and all practitioners are required to obtain fifty (50) points in each year. The priority in CPD is to achieve improved patient care, while at the same time benefiting the development of the occupational therapy, medical orthotics/prosthetics and the arts therapies professions as a whole.

The term "Practitioners" as used in the document refers to all Occupational Therapists, Medical Orthotists/Prosthetists, Arts Therapists, Assistant Medical Orthotists/ Prosthetists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Occupational Therapy Technicians, Orthopaedic Footwear Technicians, Orthopaedic Technical Assistants, Supplementary Medical Orthotists/Prosthetists and Supplementary Occupational Therapists.

Providers include any body such as a department at a university; a professional association/ society/group (e.g. OTASA Branches, SAOPA, SANATO and Standing Committees; SAISI, INSTOPP and The Hand Therapy Society) or any other body which offers educational and development opportunities to practitioners for CPD purposes, and may include other related industrial or provider organisations.

Providers of CPD activities are required to submit the proposed activity/activities on Form CPD/OCP 3 to the Accreditation Committee of the Professional Board for assessment of the professional content and the CPD points value thereof. Only on approval of the proposed CPD activities and the points allocation thereof, can the provider present the activity for CPD purposes.

An Accreditation Committee has been established by the Professional Board for Occupational Therapy and Medical Orthotics/Prosthetics which has been mandated to serve as the body for accreditation of CPD activities for all practitioners registered with the Board. (Appendix A)

It is the responsibility of the Accreditation Committee to receive and assess applications by providers for the approval of CPD activities to be presented. Such assessments will be done according to criteria and guidelines identified by the Accreditation Committee. After positive assessment, the application may, under certain circumstances be referred to the Professional Board for final approval of the points allocated to the activity. Should the activity be accredited, a reference number will be allocated for record keeping purposes. Applications not agreed to, will be kept for record purposes.

The CPD system will be administered (managed) by the Professional Board for Occupational Therapy and Medical Orthotics/Prosthetics, hereafter referred to as the Board under the jurisdiction of Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

Three members of the Professional Board serve on the Accreditation Committee. Other members include representatives from the Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA), South African Orthotic/Prosthetic Association (SAOPA) and the South African National Arts Therapies Organisation (SANATO) who have been co-opted onto the Accreditation Committee.

It is important to note that prior approval of educational and developmental activities for CPD purposes must be obtained from the Accreditation Committee by the providers of CPD activities. Providers must request accreditation for the activities that will be presented by completing a Form CPD/OCP 3 – "Application for approval to be a provider of Continuing Professional Development – CPD activities". This Committee will furnish the providers of such activities with the criteria and guidelines for approval and for the allocation of points. Approved activities will be allocated a specific reference number by the Accreditation Committee for easy reference and administration purposes.

A copy of a certificate to confirm attendance of practitioners and to indicate the points that were accumulated is attached to the Form CPD/OCP 3. The provider should complete this form for each attendee indicating the total points that was approved for the CPD activity by the Accreditation Committee. The provider must ensure that all attendants receive a certificate. The attendees will need the certificate as proof of attendance to accumulate their CPD points. Please note that the onus is on the provider to ensure that only those attendees who have attended the full activity and who have participated actively in the activity should receive the certificate of attendance. (See Appendix B)

Each practitioner must keep an accurate record of how CPD points have been accrued during each year. This will be done by annually completing the individual portfolio form (Form CPD/OCP 1), attaching proof of participation in CPD activities and submitting this annually to the Professional Board by 31 March on Form CPD/OCP 1. (See Appendix C)

On receipt of the Individual CPD Portfolio Form (Form CPD/OCP 1) from individual practitioners, the Accreditation Committee will monitor the contents and record the points achieved. Subsequently practitioners will be advised annually of the number of points recorded to their credit and of their CPD status.

All the forms (CPD/OCP 1, 3, 4) can be obtained from: The CPD Officer, CPD, Registration and Records Department, Health Professions Council of South Africa, P O Box 205, Pretoria, 0001 or from the website: htttp://www.hpcsa.co.za.

Every practitioner is required to accumulate fifty (50) points in any one year in order to retain his or her registration. Points accumulated in excess of the 50 required during one year may be forwarded to the subsequent year only. Should a practitioner not accumulate the required number of points in any one year, he or she will be permitted to obtain 100 points in the subsequent year.

Any practitioner, who registers for the first time as an occupational therapist, medical orthotist/prosthetist, assistant medical orthotist/prosthetist, arts therapist, occupational therapy assistant, occupational therapy technician, orthopaedic footwear technician, orthopaedic technical assistant, supplementary medical orthotist/prosthetist or supplementary occupational therapist after 1 April 2002, will commence with the collection of CPD points on 1 April of the following year.

Any practitioner, whose name is restored to the register of occupational therapists, medical orthotists/prosthetists, assistant medical orthotists/prosthetists, arts therapists, occupational therapy assistants, occupational therapy technicians, orthopaedic footwear technicians, orthopaedic technical assistants, supplementary medical orthotists/prosthetists or supplementary occupational therapists subsequent to 1 April 2002, after it had been erased from the relevant register for a period exceeding 12 months, will be subject to the compliance with any condition(s) which the Board may specify prior to the restoration of the name of such practitioner to the relevant register.

The basic premise of the point allocation for activities in the categories of educational and developmental activities for CPD purposes is that one hour equals one point. However, the eventual responsibility rests with the accreditor to adapt sub-optimal activities downward to an appropriate point allocation per time unit and to recommend to the Professional Board accordingly. The fifty (50) points shall be accumulated in any one of the following categories of activity: Organisational, Small group, Individual and any other category that the Board may accredit from time to time.

A maximum of 80 percent of the points may be accumulated annually in the Individual Activity category. These points shall be spread throughout the different subsections. A minimum of two (2) points in professional ethics will be required from all practitioners annually. A maximum of five (5) points may be obtained in non-clinical but health - related activities.

Any relevant educational or developmental activity that does not fall within the activities listed in the above categories may be submitted to the Accreditation Committee for approval and, if agreed to, will be accredited.

Providers must note that it is important to apply for accreditation of activities before presentation of activities (Form CPD/OCP 3). The attendance at the activities by practitioners must be verified by the providers. (Form CPD/OCP 3 – Appendix C is the form to be used for this purpose.)

Attendance of formal learning opportunities will be credited with one point per hour of attendance.

These activities include, but are not restricted to conferences, congresses, workshops, lectures, seminars, refresher courses and formally organised staff development programmes.

Participation in non-formal learning opportunities will be credited with one point per hour where participants are actively involved.

These activities include, but are not restricted to formal case presentations at ward rounds, journal clubs and small-group discussions i.e. interest groups.

It is important to note that only self-study activities evaluated by an approved provider will count. The points per activity will be allocated by the accreditor.

These activities include, but are not restricted to studying of journals, as well as electronic or computerised material. Distance educational activities will be included in this category.

These activities will be credited with one point per hour and include, but are not restricted to skills training workshops, and short-term study at technikon/university departments or other settings that provide relevant learning opportunities and courses.

Note that accreditation must preferably be obtained before participation in these activities take place and the attendance thereof must be verified (Form CPD/OCP 3).

The first author will be credited with fifteen (15) points. Second authors will be credited with seven (7) points. Authors of chapters in books will be credited fifteen (15) points. A book review will be credited with five (5) points.

Presentation at formal case presentations, ward rounds, journal clubs and small group discussions will be credited with five (5) points.

Short papers (shorter than 20 minutes), e.g. congress papers/posters, will be credited with ten (10) points.

Longer papers (longer than 20 minutes), e.g. invited lectures and keynote addresses, will be credited with fifteen (15) points.

Lectures to students where the presenter is not employed by a training institution he/she will be credited one (1) point per hour of lecturing.

It is important to note the prior approval for these activities to be accredited, will have to be obtained and the execution thereof verified.

Post graduate diploma and Honours: forty-five (45) points on completion of a one year full time course; twenty-five (25) points per year for a part time course over two years being the equivalent of one year full time study.

Masters’ Degree by course work: forty-five (45) points per year for a maximum of two years and twenty-five (25) points on completion of the mini-dissertation and obtaining the Masters’ Degree.

Masters’ Degree by research and dissertation: twenty-five (25) points per year for a maximum of four years and thirty (30) points on completion of the dissertation and obtaining the Masters’ Degree.

Doctorate: thirty-five (35) points per year for a maximum of four years and forty (40) points on completion of the thesis and obtaining the Doctorate Degree.

All points will be allocated to a practitioner when proof of completion of a course/study period or proof to indicate participation in any activity is provided.

These activities will be credited with one (1) point per hour and include, but are not restricted to examining undergraduate or post graduate students as an external examiner; or evaluations undertaken on behalf of the Professional Board as well as assessment of thesis or scripts. A maximum of fifteen (15) points per year can be obtained in this category.

These activities will be credited with five (5) points per candidate per year up for a maximum of 4 years and include being the promotor/supervisor, mentor or study leader for Masters or Doctoral qualifications. Five (5) points will be allocated to the supervisor on the completion of the dissertation/thesis.

All points will be allocated to a practitioner when proof of completion of a course/study period or proof to indicate participation in any activity is provided.

The clinician responsible for the teaching and evaluation of all students in occupational therapy, orthotics/prosthetics and arts therapy will obtain two (2) points per student supervised. University/Technikon validation of the application must be obtained. A maximum of ten (10) points can be accumulated in this category.

A maximum of twenty (20) points can be obtained in this category as follows:

Members of OTASA, SAOPA. SANATO – five (5) points per year.

Branch level office bearers – five (5) points per year for each practitioner.

National level (e.g. members of Standing Committees of OTASA or other professional bodies) – ten (10) points per year.

Executive Committee of OTASA, SAOPA and SANATO– twenty (20) points per year.

Council attendance as a representative – five (5) points per year.

Professional Board for Occupational Therapy and Medical Orthotics/Prosthetics – twenty (20) points per year.

Completion of HPCSA registration questionnaire – three (3) points per year.

Membership of WFOT– five (5) points per year.

International level committee members – ten (10) points per year.

International Society for Prosthetists/Orthotists – five (5) points per year.

World Federation of Music Therapy – five (5) points per year.

A minimum of two (2) points in professional ethics is required from all practitioners each year.

A maximum of five (5) points may be obtained in non-clinical but profession-related activities in any one year.

Participation in voluntary community service such as providing treatment free of charge to disadvantaged communities will be credited with one (1) point for every 5 hours. These points will be awarded for verified profession specific activities and approval must be obtained prior to participation in the community activity. A maximum of fifteen (15) points can be obtained through this activity.

All practitioners may apply for deferment of CPD. The Accreditation Committee will screen such applications on an ad hoc basis and provide the names to the Professional Board for Occupational Therapy and Medical Orthotics/Prosthetics for final decisions regarding deferment.

Practitioners practising abroad will not be granted deferment. However documentary proof of compliance with the continuing professional development activities in any country who offers such activities will be accepted for CPD purposes in SA. In the absence of proof that activities have been approved by CPD committees, documentation on activities attended will have to be submitted to the Accreditation Committee in SA and if approved will qualify for CPD points.

Deferment will be considered for those practitioners who have retired, are ill and who are in non-clinical practice, on request.

In the event of a practitioner not complying with the requirements of the CPD system, the Accreditation Committee can suggest to the Professional Board for Occupational Therapy and Medical Orthotics/Prosthetics to impose any one or more of the following conditions:

• Requiring the practitioner to follow a remedial programme of continuing education and training as specified by the Professional Board.
• Requiring the practitioner to write an examination as determined by Professional Board.
• Registering the practitioner in a category of registration that requires supervision regarded as appropriate by the Professional Board.
• Erasing the practitioner’s name from the relevant register.

The Professional Board supports the principle that CPD activities should be tax deductible. It is recommended that individual practitioners, in submitting their tax returns, apply for deductions in terms of Section 11 of the Income Tax for expenditure incurred in respect of CPD activities.

All correspondence regarding CPD must be addressed to the CPD Officer, CPD, Registration and Records Department, P O Box 205, Pretoria, 0001. Council contact numbers are as follows:

Telephone number - (012) 338-9392
Fax number - (012) 338-9418
Internet address - http://www.hpcsa.co.za

Three members of the Education Committee of the Professional Board for Occupational Therapy and Medical Orthotics/Prosthetics. (Hereafter referred to as the Board):

Three representatives from OTASA:

- one member from the public sector
- one member from the private sector
- one member from the universities

Two representatives from SAOPA:

- one member from the public sector
- one member from the private sector

One representative from SANATO

A Support Staff member to be appointed by the Support Staff Committee of OTASA.

The Accreditation Committee will report to the Education Committee of the Professional Board.

1. To compile the criteria to grant accreditator status.
2. To grant accreditor status.
3. To accredit courses.
4. To grant provider status.
5. To develop a system whereby CPD will be managed.
6. To make CPD record forms available to registered practitioners.
7. To compile an annual report of the activities of the Accreditation Committee to present to the Board.
8. To inform practitioners of accredited activities.
9. To report non-compliance to the Board.
10. To develop a viable financial system whereby the Accreditation Committee can be self-supporting.
11. To regularly update CPD information and distribute the information to all registered practitioners.
12. To assess the main focus of the CPD activities requiring accreditation and to identify and recommend additional areas to be covered.

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APPENDIX C