Important news regarding Irish Medical Council renewal
Since May 2011, all doctors on the Medical Council register have been legally obliged to maintain their professional competence by enrolling in professional competence schemes and following requirements set by the Medical Council. Most doctors previously engaged in continuous professional development; however, this new system created a formal lifelong learning process, highlighting doctors’ dedication to developing their skills throughout their professional lives.
Postgraduate training bodies operate schemes and have been developed to drive good professional practice which is centred on patient safety and the quality of patient care. The activities which doctors engage in are straightforward and practice-based.
Participation in a Professional Competence Scheme helps registered doctors to demonstrate that they are fulfilling their new statutory duty. Schemes are in place for all registered doctors on the Specialist and General Division of the Medical Register. Doctors registered in the Supervised Division of the register also enrol in a Professional Competence scheme related to their chosen speciality.
PLEASE NOTE, THE FOLLOWING CPD REQUIREMENTS RELATE TO THE 2023/2024 SCHEME YEAR WHICH BEGINS ON 1 MAY 2023 AND ENDS ON 30 APRIL 2024.
In the Professional Competence Year beginning on 1 May 2023 and ending on 30 April 2024, doctors will be required to undertake and record the following CPD activity with their Scheme:
- 40 credits (in any category: external, internal, personal, research/teaching); and
- One audit [Clinical or Practice (Quality Improvement)].
This increase will bring the annual requirements to 50 hours of CPD activity which will be in line with the new strengthened Maintenance of Professional Competence Framework Model commencing on 1 May 2024.
If you are in the stages of renewing your Irish Medical Council registration, you will notice that you are being asked to fill out additional information regarding your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) - the ARAF Maintenance of Professional Competence declaration (Question 1)
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