Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

for Therapy Radiographers:An Economical Solution

Lorraine Whyte

INTRODUCTIONBody text

METHODS

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RESULTS

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CONCLUSION

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CPD for Therapy RadiographersFrom a historical perspective radiographers were traditionally only involved in statutory CPD activities such as manual handling and CPR, few were involved in CPD projects associated with developing new roles and skills, Castle et al (1997). When the Health Professions Council introduced compulsory CPD in conjunction with registration in 2006 many staff members remained ambivalent towards the concept of CPD in general.However, when the audit process began in early 2010 many radiographers began to worry that they would be chosen for audit and the race to update and sometimes even produce CPD portfolios began. The Society of Radiographers recommend that CPD should involve several different types of learning activities. However, the radiographers seemed to place more value on costly pursuits such as conference attendance, formal study days, MSc modules etc. and considered them the only activities worth documenting, whereas other less formal pursuits were less valued, and therefore had less importance attached to them. However, in times of financial restraint the value of less costly alternatives had to be explored.

Studies have shown that less formal CPD is of great value, however it is often not recognised, valued, or indeed documented. Henwood, et al (2004) stressed the importance of recording all types of CPD and recognising the value and indeed the importance of what most radiographers class as less formal CPD activities. Barriers to recording CPD were also identified and came in many forms but those causing the greatest issues were poor staffing levels and lack of employer support. With the introduction of the HPC audit and the increasing stress of compulsory CPD these issues had to be addressed as soon as possible.

This could have been done in a variety of ways, e.g. protected study time which is very difficult and costly to implement in a radiotherapy department as the patient must always come first. However other AHP’s e.g. physiotherapists already had this mechanism in place and there must be parity amongst all AHP groups regardless of workload.

CPD is essential to the future of our profession. If we fail to develop, as individuals and collectively, we will fall behind and the survival of our profession will be in jeopardy. The last decade has seen radiographers moving into areas of clinical practice and achieving academic standing which would have once been unimaginable. Role extension is now accepted and commonplace. (4 tier structure etc).

The SolutionA series of in-house CPD workshops are planned and delivered during the work day in quick half hour sessions so that as many staff as possible can attend. Guest speakers are invited to talk on a variety of subjects, and the radiographers are encouraged to present their own materials and suggest topics for further study. Reflection is encouraged and all activities are documented and feedback encouraged. These workshops have also been successfully rolled out to support staff.

An audit was carried out to determine the success and popularity of the programme, and also to improve the service provided.

Benefits to the Department● Increased staff motivation● Cost effective solution to CPD needs and requirements● Encourages recruitment & retention● Department prestige● Good preparation for e-KSF and HPC registration requirements● Specific educational projects aimed at supporting radiotherapy staff● Provision of leading-edge learning, education, and skills development ● Educational support to help staff work together for the benefit of patients● Promotion of best practice in education, training, and lifelong learning ● Maintains high educational standards ● Provides a range of educational materials and assesses training needs ● Promotes the development of skills throughout the department● Positively enhances the quality of the clinical learning environment ● Active educational support for health care support workers ●Ensures the capacity to practice safely, effectively, and legally

Audit Results & Benefits of CPD Workshops

Increased Sharing of Ideas and Practice

Enhanced Knowledge/Understanding of Topics

Rate the quality of the CPD presentations

ConclusionThis series of in-house CPD workshops have provided managers with a cost effective solution to the issue of protected study time and compulsory CPD for therapy radiographers. They have resulted in the provision of robust, high quality educational activities for radiographers and offer active educational support to radiotherapy support staff. Above all, they ensure that radiographers have the capacity to practice safely, effectively, and legally and help staff to work together for the benefit of the patients.

ReferencesCASTLE, A., ADRIAN-HARRIS, D., HOLLOWAY, D.G., & RACE, A.J., (1997) Continuing professional development for radiographers, Radiography, 253-263.

HENWOOD, S.M., YIELDER, J., & FLINTON, D., (2004) Radiographers attitudes to mandatory CPD: a comparative study in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, Radiography, 251-258.

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