CPD Provider F.A.Q.

Optometrists Association Australia is introducing a new continuing professional development (CPD) system from January 1, 2004. The new system aims to improve optometric CPD by simplifying recording of members' participation, removing anomalies in the previous CPE system, and broadening the range of activities that attract CPD points.

How is the new CPD system different for providers?

The new CPD system has expanded the range of activities for which members can earn CPD points. The new accreditation forms are available in both printed and electronic formats. The requirements for attendance lists have changed and are discussed further below. All approved courses will be allocated a CPD logo for providers to use on all advertising material.

What is the CPD requirement for Optometrists Association Australia members?

The annual requirement is 40 CPD points. Members may average their points over a two calendar year period, so at the end of each year they should have earned at least 80 points over the previous 24 months. All members are expected to meet this requirement.

What activities will Optometrists Association Australia accredit?

The range of CPD activities that earn CPD points has been expanded. Points are allocated at different rates for different types of activities. For example, courses that include assessment are awarded points at a higher rate than unassessed courses. The table below shows the full listing of CPD activities. CPD providers may apply for accreditation of activities from groups 1 to 6, and group 11.

What are topics not directly related to patient care?

Examples of topics not related to patient management include, but are not limited to: practice management; financial matters including GST, accounting, and personal finance; product launches and promotional events. The determination of what activities are related to patient care remains at the discretion of Optometrists Association Australia.

What are my responsibilities as a CPD provider?

It is the responsibility of CPD providers to apply for accreditation of courses, to conduct assessment where required, to record members' participation in their courses, and to provide accurate information to the OAA.

It is the responsibility of the OAA to ensure that applications for accreditation of courses are processed accurately and in a timely fashion, and that the information in attendance records supplied to it is recorded accurately. It is not the responsibility of OAA to ensure that providers meet their responsibilities.

What is the difference between registered and non-registered providers?

Registered CPD providers will be able to access a simplified process for accreditation of CPD courses. Non-registered providers will be required to provide the association with additional information about the course, the educational objectives and the course presenters.

Who can become a registered provider?

Optometrists Association Australia will invite a small number of CPD providers to become registered providers. Registered provider status is offered to those CPD providers with a proven record of providing quality optometric CPD and complying with the requirements of the OAA CPD program, such as providing adequate notice of courses and supplying attendance lists in a timely manner. Only organisations which have education as one of their principal activities will be offered registered provider status. Other organisations, such as optical wholesalers and ophthalmic surgical centres, will generally not be eligible for registered provider status.

The register of providers will be reviewed at the beginning of each year. Registered provider status is granted at the discretion of the Optometrists Association Australia and can be revoked at any time.

What are the general criteria for accreditation of CPD courses?

Optometrists Association Australia will only accredit courses when the following principles of access, educational standards and ethical standards are met.

Access

Course providers must not unreasonably prevent OAA member optometrists from enrolling in and attending their courses. Restrictions on enrollments should be based on bona-fide considerations, such as available facilities or instructor/student ratios.

An organisation may restrict access to a course to its members, provided that membership in that organisation is open to all OAA member optometrists.

An employer who provides CPD to its employees is not obliged to make that CPD available to other optometrists.

Educational standards

The format, design and delivery of the course must be appropriate for its stated educational objectives.

The content of the course must reflect accepted optometric practice based on critical appraisal of the scientific literature. Courses promoting theories and techniques which are not supported by scientific evidence nor generally accepted by the optometric profession will not be eligible for accreditation.

The course should allow adequate time for discussion and questions. Given the diversity of optometric practice, individual optometrists are likely to have different problems and concerns in any one topic area. Adequate time for discussion and questions allows participants to address problems and interpret information from their own perspective.

Ethical standards

The course must comply with accepted ethical standards.

When presenting information about patients (eg. case reports), care must be taken to ensure that the patients' identities are not disclosed. Where this is not possible, the patients' informed consent must be obtained.

When human subjects are recruited for demonstrations, workshops or grand rounds, organisers must ensure that the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki are observed. In particular, subjects should be volunteers; subjects should have freely given their consent after being adequately informed of all relevant details of the activity; and subjects should be informed that they may withdraw their consent at any time without penalty. Organisers should be particularly cautious when recruiting persons who may be in a dependent relationship with them or may consent under duress. Organisers should not offer potential subjects any inducements to participate, although they may be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.

How do I apply for Optometrists Association Australia accreditation of my educational activity?

All CPD providers are required to complete the appropriate application form available by contacting the OAA National Office or on the OAA's National website. You are required to provide information about the course including when and where it will be held, the duration of the course, the educational objectives and content of the course, the presenter's credentials and an overview of any assessment associated with the course. You are required to calculate the number of points for which you are applying. You will also need to include a copy of any promotional materials relating to the course.

Optometrists Association Australia will not accredit any courses of less than one hour duration.

Applications for accreditation must be received at least 28 days prior to the event. Optometrists Association Australia rarely accredits courses retrospectively (see below). Incomplete applications will be returned to providers.

Providers can expect to receive a fax or e-mail advising the outcome of their application within 4 working days of receipt of their application. Approvals will be accompanied by a unique CPD logo for use on all advertising material.

OAA National Office Telephone: 03 9663 6833

How do I calculate CPD points?

The table in the application form is designed to assist you to calculate the number of points for which you are applying. If you were applying for accreditation of a course with 2.5 hours of workshops and 3.5 hours of lectures without assessment you would complete the table as below.

To calculate CPD points, you:

Is the process for conference accreditation different?

The process for conference accreditation is slightly different from accreditation of other events. Generally, conferences are held over several days and members can enrol for the entire conference, or smaller parts of the conference (e.g. a single day). Each of these smaller units is considered to be a course, so providers are required to provide separate applications for each course, and in turn provide lists of the members who completed each course.

What are the Optometrists Association Australia guidelines for assessment?

Briefly, the assessment process must ensure that the participants have gained an understanding of the subject matter of the course. Participants are to be assessed on site at the completion of the course or the assessment may be completed by correspondence.

Assessment should generally be in the form of a multiple-choice examination, and include at least ten questions for each hour of the course. A score of at least 70% is required to satisfactorily complete the course and receive CPD points. Members scoring less than 70% will not be eligible for any points allocation.

Providers are required to submit a copy of the test and scoring key with their application to OAA. Non-registered providers will be required to demonstrate to OAA that their examiners have the appropriate qualifications and experience to design appropriate assessment tools. Assessment (including setting examination questions, supervising the conduct of examinations, marking examination papers and collating examination results) is the responsibility of the CPD provider.

What are the CPD logos?

The Optometrists Association Australia CPD logo provides an easy way to identify courses that have been accredited and the number of points allocated to the course, and course providers are encouraged to use it in promoting their accredited courses. A sample of the logo appears at the top of this page.

Copies of the logo, showing the correct number of CPD points, will be supplied to providers of accredited courses.

Permission to use the logo is only granted in relation to a specific accredited course. It should not be used in relation to courses that have not been accredited, even if the provider has applied for accreditation. Use of the logo in relation to unaccredited courses is not permitted, and may result in future applications for accreditation being rejected.

How do I submit attendance lists?

Providers are required to submit attendance lists within 14 days of the completion of the course. The list should include all Optometrists Association Australia members who have successfully completed the course. The attendance list must by typed, and must include the following data for each participant: Surname, First name, Optometrists Association Australia membership number, and the number of CPD points earned. The list should be sorted in alphabetical order by surname. The course identification number, allocated by Optometrists Association Australia when the course was accredited should also be provided. Handwritten attendance lists are not acceptable. Attendance lists of more than 30 names must be submitted electronically, either as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or a text file. Sample data files are available on the Optometrists Association Australia website.

How do I find out a member's membership number?

Membership numbers should be collected from participating members. It is advisable when collecting membership numbers to inform members that you will be providing information about their participation in the course to Optometrists Association Australia.

Members are expected to know their membership number and to advise providers of their number. Members can be directed to their State Division or National Office to confirm their membership number. Optometrists Association Australia is unable to advise providers of membership numbers.

How do the National Privacy Principles apply to collecting attendance information?

Providers are reminded that the release of attendance lists to Optometrists Association Australia must be in accordance with the National Privacy Principles. As course providers will be required to collect membership numbers, we recommend that providers inform members that supplying their membership number will be taken as permission to forward attendance information to the Optometrists Association Australia.

Providers are welcome to discuss privacy concerns with Optometrists Association Australia staff. Alternately, you may wish to ring the National Privacy Commission Hotline on 1300 863 992.

What happens if I forget to send an attendance list?

Optometrists Association Australia will fax or e-mail providers one (1) reminder approximately 30 days after the event, if an attendance list has not been forwarded. If the provider fails to forward the attendance list despite the reminder, all member queries regarding the course will be directed to the provider with the explanation that an attendance list was not provided.

Applications for accreditation of courses will not be processed if a CPD provider has outstanding attendance lists unless or until the outstanding list is forwarded.

Conditions may be placed on accreditation where a provider has a record of failing to provide attendance lists in a timely manner. If a provider displays a pattern of not meeting the OAA's requirements the OAA may refuse to accredit their future courses or may place conditions on accreditation.

What happens if I forget to include someone's name on the attendance list?

If a member's name does not appear on the attendance list, they will be redirected to the provider. The onus is then on the member and the provider to advise OAA of the attendance. Changes to a member's record will not occur without documentation from the provider.

What happens if I forget to apply for accreditation of an event?

Optometrists Association Australia may accredit courses after they have been conducted, however retrospective accreditation will only be provided in exceptional circumstances. Providers are encouraged to discuss retrospective accreditation with the National Professional Services Manager before submitting an application. Retrospective accreditation is entirely at the discretion of National Office staff.

Will my educational event be advertised to members?

Most courses approved by Optometrists Association Australia will be advertised in Australian Optometry and on-line in the member's section of the website.

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