Continuing Professional Development
CPD is how “….professionals maintain and develop throughout their career to ensure that they retain their capacity to practice safely, effectively and legally within their evolving scope of practice” (HCPC, 2013).
CPD and lifelong learning drive improvement in how services are delivered and how the workforce is developed. The following CPD Together Joint Statement document sets out five high-level CPD & Lifelong learning principles for the health and social care workforce across the UK and is designed for individuals, employers and the wider system: CPD Together Joint Statement.
The BDA has a commitment to assist its members in upholding the highest standards of professional practice and to develop themselves continually throughout their working lives. All healthcare professionals are expected and required to work within their scope of practice, with the understanding that this usually changes over time from broad practice across the profession, to a deeper understanding and more expert practice in a specialist field.
The range of CPD activities is extensive and includes work-based learning such as:
- BDA Classroom and BDA eLearning via the BDA Learning Zone
- reflective practice, clinical audit or Facebook journal club
- professional activity including active membership of a specialist group
- mentoring or teaching
- formal education from short courses to higher degrees
Dietitians undertake many types of CPD from daily reflections to formal periods of study. The BDA provides guidance and tools to support members in maintaining a record of these activities.