Call for volunteers to help test new CPD recording platform

The RCVS is calling for veterinary surgeons and nurses to volunteer to take part in a testing group for the College’s new continuing professional development (CPD) recording platform which is currently in development.

At its March 2019 meeting, RCVS Council approved the roll-out, over the next two years, of a more outcomes-based model of CPD which will encourage veterinary professionals to engage in greater reflection on learning and development and how this impacts upon their professional practice.

To support this new approach, and in response to feedback from members piloting the new approach to CPD, Council also approved the development of a new CPD recording platform that is more intuitive and facilitates easy recording of CPD in real time. The new platform – which has the working title of ‘One CPD’, will integrate current applications into a new, unified, experience featuring both mobile and web interfaces. Once completed this new capability will be a ‘one stop shop’ CPD management solution for veterinary surgeons and nurses at all stages of their careers, including veterinary students and student veterinary nurses.

Richard Burley, our Chief Technology Officer, said: “We’re excited to open up access to this powerful, next-generation, tool we’ve been building and welcome our members into an important phase of the development process. Testing with our members will be absolutely critical in delivering the very best experience possible for all those that use ‘One CPD’ in the future. Ease of use and truly valuable functionality are key deliverables for us and both these need the feedback of our members to perfect.”

Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, our Director of Education, added: “The first stage of the development of the CPD recording platform is due to finish in October and so we are looking for a cohort of both veterinary surgeons and nurses who can spend a few months this autumn using the new platform to record and reflect on their CPD, in order to test out some of the new features which aim to make this process so much easier to do. We will consider their feedback carefully in order to improve the recording platform ready for launch in January 2020.

“The new ‘One CPD’ platform will ultimately replace the current Professional Development Record, and its use will become mandatory for recording CPD from January 2022.

“In addition to setting up the testing group, we are also looking to meet with key CPD providers for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses over the coming months to discuss our plans for outcomes-based CPD and the development of the recording platform in greater detail.”

Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who wish to volunteer to take part in the testing for the CPD app, as well as CPD providers who want to discuss the our CPD policy plans, should contact Jenny Soreskog-Turp, our CPD Officer, on [email protected] or 020 7202 0701.