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Australia, the UK, and New Zealand all have requirements for registered vets to keep up to date by recording a certain amount of continuing education. New Zealand and the UK have recently changed their focus from simply recording time spent on CE to actually evaluating and reflecting on the learning experience, in order to better support vets in practice, help vets find professional fulfilment, and to aid in retaining vets in the profession.

Australia

All Australian veterinary Boards have agreed, through the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), on a minimum requirement of 60 CPD points over a consecutive 3 year cycle. At least 15 of the required 60 CPD points must be structured points. The remaining 45 points may be either unstructured points or more structured points. You may use the AVA Vet Ed points scheme to record and validate your CPD achievement

https://www.ava.com.au/education-events/veted/veted-points/

Structured Points: Most courses, conferences and seminars are 1:1 (points:hour) & Workshops are 2:1 and require validation (eg by certificate)

Unstructured Points: eg. private reading, un-assessed computer based courses  are 1:2 (points:hour)

The registered veterinary practitioner who is currently undergoing formal post-graduate training with a view to the acquisition of a higher qualification in their chosen field of work or a related area of veterinary science, is considered to be fulfilling all the requirements for continuing education.

The  points allocation table is available from the NSW Vet Board website:

https://www.vpb.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/images/GR05%20CPD%20Points%20Allocation%20Table.pdf

UK

All veterinary surgeons listed on the RCVS Register as practising members must complete the minimum CPD requirement of 35 hours per year, regardless of whether they are working full-time or part-time.
Vet Nurses on the RCVS Register have to complete 15 hours CPD per year.

The RCVS has an online system for veterinary surgeons (and vet nurses) to record their CPD activities (1CPD). 1CPD is a new outcomes focused CPD system, and is available as a web portal or as a mobile app. From January 2022 it has become mandatory for all veterinary surgeons to use 1CPD. Reflection on CPD outcomes, an integral part of 1CPD, is now also mandatory from 2022 and can be done using the 1CPD app.

RCVS: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/cpd-guidance-for-vets/

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/lifelong-learning/continuing-professional-development-cpd/getting-started-with-1cpd/

All vets practising in the UK, whether they graduated overseas or in the UK, must comply with the RCVS requirement of 35 hours per calendar year. You may include CPD undertaken abroad, but you should ensure that your description of this, and the hours involved, are clearly recorded in English so that the details of what you have done are transparent to, and understood by, the RCVS and others with an interest in your CPD record, such as prospective and current employers.

There is no restriction on the number of hours of self-directed learning that can count towards your CPD as long as you document it or reflect on your CPD. Ultimately, the judgement of what should count as CPD will vary for each individual, and it is therefore up to you to decide how best to fulfil your own learning needs.

PDP – Professional Development Phase
This was a requirement for newly qualified graduates and those with less than one year’s clinical experience, regardless of where they qualified in the UK or overseas. It could also be used by anyone returning to work after a career-break. Average time taken to complete the PDP is 18 months depending on caseload, but it needs to be completed within 3 years. PDP required exposure to a general practice workload. The last enrolment for the PDP was in June 2021. It has been replaced by VetGDP – Veterinary Graduate Development Programme.

VetGDP – Veterinary Graduate Development Programme.  
This is a requirement for new veterinary graduates for any graduate vets employed from summer 2021 onwards – their employer must be signed up to VetGDP and there must be a VetGDP Adviser in the workplace to support them. It is focused on developing professional skills as well as clinical capabilities and is intended to be more supportive than the PDP. Vets who have been out of practice for 5 years or longer also have to take part in VetGDP. Overseas graduates who are new RCVS members who have less than one year of significant work experience as a veterinary graduate will be expected to enrol in the VetGDP. https://www.rcvs.org.uk/lifelong-learning/vetgdp/

New Zealand

The CPD requirements in New Zealand changed from 2021 onwards. 2021 was a trial year. 

The previous CPD requirements focused on using points to quantify time spent on CPD activities, categorising activities and setting quotas that had to be met. This new framework departs from that approach and instead focusses on the process of planning, taking part in and evaluating learning. In simple terms, it requires that veterinarians must:

1. Prepare a CPD plan
2. Do CPD
3. Record their CPD
4. Review the CPD plan.

The requirements are different for new graduates in their first year of practice. This is to reflect that they have different needs as they adjust to professional life and the requirements for them focus more on collegial support in the form of mentoring.  There is flexibility in who can act as a mentor. For many new graduates, the mentor will be their employer or supervisor at work. However, it could equally be someone independent. There are no qualification or training requirements for acting as a mentor.
The Vet Council hasn’t set a minimum amount of CPD that must be undertaken. “Our expectation is that veterinarians will take part in CPD, completing all of the four steps above, and that the amount of CPD they undertake should be appropriate to their needs. We recognise that some people appreciate having a clear number to work to, so, as a guide, we believe that veterinarians should aim to undertake at least 20 hours of CPD per year. This isn’t a strict requirement, and we won’t rigidly enforce it. We emphasise that the quality of CPD and the process of planning and evaluating it is of far more importance than the quantity.”
https://www.vetcouncil.org.nz/Web/Veterinarians/Continuing_Professional_Development.aspx

Author:
Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

Did you know there was an Australian Veterinary Orchestra? Any musicians involved in the veterinary industry are welcome to join in for this concert in Melbourne during the AVA conference. The orchestra the AVO are playing alongside is the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra  https://zelman.au/
It’s a great opportunity to de-stress and the aim is to have fun! If you still have your instrument in the cupboard, dust it off, and visit the AVO Facebook page to join and find details. The music will be Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto in D Op. 35 and Beethoven – Symphony No.3 in E♭ Op. 55 Eroica. All abilities are welcome.

Everyone else, please come to the concert and help support your musical colleagues, and the Australian Veterinary Benevolent Fund ???
This is the Event Link on Facebook

Employing a locum vet can happen in a rush – but there are several things that an Employer in Australia should check prior to the locum starting work. This article is based on the “10 Things to ask your Locum Vet” factsheet written by Kookaburra Veterinary Employment.

1. Visa.

An overseas vet should have a valid work Visa. It is an offence to employ someone without a valid work visa, so it’s the employer’s responsibility to check. Most overseas vets should have their passport with them or be able to provide details about their visa. See www.border.gov.au for more information. You can now check to see if a worker has work rights in Australia at www.border.gov.au/Busi/Visa – you should ask for consent to check the worker’s visa details first.

2. Tax File Number.

If a vet is going to be working for you as an employee, you will need their Tax File Number. See www.ato.gov.au for more information

3. ABN.

If a vet says that they are self employed, they should provide you with their ABN – Australian Business Number. See www.ato.gov.au for more information, or consult your accountant for individual information about the best way for your practice to pay locums. Some locums are employed as casual employees, some locums are engaged as independent contractors. It’s likely that either way, the clinic will have to pay superannuation under the Superannuation Guarantee. There are Calculators online on the ATO website that help you work out whether your locum is an employee or a contractor, and in either case whether you should be paying superannuation for them. Keeping a record of your use of these calculators can support your decision if necessary.

4. CV and References.

Locum vets should be able to provide contact details for 1 or more recent veterinary referees. Clinics should make sure that any locums introduced to them have the required experience for a particular locum job. Kookaburra Veterinary Employment can provide CVs for all locums listed on their register – these CVs are provided by the locum vets to Kookaburra, and Kookaburra doesn’t provide any warranty as to the accuracy of any CV. We recommend that clinics take up one or more references for a locum prior to booking them for any work.

5. Vet Board Registration.

Following mutual recognition implementation in many States, you can now search for a particular registered veterinarian on the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council website at www.avbc.asn.au and find the State that they have primary registration with. It is good practice for vets to use their board registration number after their signature when signing certificates etc. See www.avbc.asn.au for information about registration of overseas qualified veterinarians.

NB: In Western Australia there is the requirement for a veterinary surgeon who appoints a locum to give written notice to the WA Vet Surgeons’ Board of the name of the locum, and the period of the appointment before, or as soon as possible, after the appointment commences.

6. Professional Indemnity Insurance.

The practice insurer may cover all vets working at the practice, or the Locum vet may have their own PII. It’s a good idea to make sure that all your locums and employees have adequate cover. In South Australia this is a requirement for all vets registering with the SA Vet Board.

7. Workers Compensation.

The locum vet may or may not be covered by the Practice workers compensation scheme – check with your Insurer.

8. Medical Insurance.

The locum vet may have their own medical insurance or, if from overseas, may be covered by a reciprocal agreement with Medicare.

9. Other Professional Registration.

For example, some States require vets to be licensed to use Radiation equipment.   Vets may also need to be registered or licensed to perform other duties such as microchipping, preg testing, certification for export etc.

10. Contract

Although practices and locums may not decide to formally enter into a contract, it could be a good idea to set down terms of employment and working conditions in writing prior to the start of the locum period. Things to consider include:

• Pay rate;
• after hours remuneration;
• days off;
• overtime;
• normal hours of work;
• type of payment arrangement and when the vet is to be paid;
• type of employment (casual employee, contractor);
• Superannuation;
• GST;
• Travel Costs;
• Professional registration costs;
• Responsibility for keys – for the clinic and for scheduled drugs
• Accommodation and responsibilities of the locum with respect to the accommodation and use of facilities if applicable (eg phone, internet, food in the pantry);
• provision of vehicle for work – and private use – and fuel costs;
• any provision for short term cancellation of the locum period by either party.

This list is by no means exhaustive. Contact the AVA HR Hotline for more information on 1300 788977 or email avahrhotline@whr.com.au (you must be an AVA member).

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.