Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
As an SQP, you are professionally responsible for maintaining up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the medicines you are prescribing and supplying and any legal or professional changes to ensure competence in your role. CPD is a mandatory yet simple process for all VetSkill SQPs. CPD requirements are set out in hours, and the amount of CPD you will be required to undertake depends on your SQP category and the date on which you qualified.
VetSkill uses an outcome-focused CPD, which includes a reflective element, and therefore aims to encourage SQPs to reflect on what they have learnt in relation to their role as an SQP.
A CPD period is defined as a one-year period, which starts on the 1 January, the year after SQP status is achieved or transfer to the VetSkill SQP Register was completed and ends on the 31 December.
If you join the register at any other time, you will be required to complete CPD for that year on a pro-rata basis; for example, if you join the register on the 1 July, you will be required to complete half the annual CPD requirement before the 31 December.
As a VetSkill SQP, the minimum number of CPD hours each SQP type must complete annually is detailed here.
Permissible CPD Activities
All CPD activities claimed against your SQP role must be relevant to your SQP category.
When attending CPD activities that cover a range of topics, you must only claim for the duration relevant to your SQP category, not for the time of the whole CPD activity.
The CPD activities list samples of what can be claimed and how this can be evidenced. The list is not exhaustive.
Claiming and Recording CPD
Once registered with VetSkill, you can access VetSkill’s SQP Hub. This contains VetSkill’s online SQP CPD recording system, allowing you to view, monitor and upload records and evidence of your completed CPD.
It is expected that CPD is undertaken continuously and the minimum annual requirements are fulfilled.
If an SQP cannot complete the required amount of CPD in any year, it may be possible to review a three-year average. If you are concerned you will not be able to meet the annual requirements, please contact info@vetskill.com to discuss this further.