CPD program-level requirements in Australia

The College provides a range of tools and resources to help you navigate the new CPD requirements relating to cultural safety, health inequities, professionalism and ethical practice in Australia.

A Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia

The Good Medical Practice Code of Conduct describes what is expected of doctors registered to practise medicine in Australia. It sets out the principles that characterise good medical practice and makes explicit the standards of ethical and professional conduct expected of doctors by their professional peers and the community. 

The RANZCOG CPD program has identified, developed and approved activities that align to this Code of Conduct.

Program-level requirements

Program-level requirements are activities that facilitate professional development across the breadth of medical practice. Engagement in these activities should include opportunities for reflection on your own biases and attitudes, to help you understand how these can impact patient care.

From 1 January 2025, these requirements will be mandatory for all RANZCOG CPD participants.

To meet your program-level requirements in Australia, you will need to engage in activities for:

Cultural Safety Practice – Healthcare that respects cultural perspectives and needs, creating an inclusive environment. Addresses power imbalances and promotes cultural safety.

Addressing Health Inequities – Recognising and reducing disparities in health outcomes and access. Focuses on social determinants, policy advocacy, and interventions for marginalized populations.

Professionalism – Practitioners’ conduct and attitudes aligned with standards and ethics. Includes integrity, accountability, communication, teamwork, and upholding ethical principles.

Ethical Practice – Morally informed decisions in healthcare, considering patient rights, values, autonomy, and well-being. Informed consent, confidentiality, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice is prioritised.

Please note that you will be able to track hours spent on these activities from your CPD portal dashboard.

Continuing professional development 30 October 2023

Updates to the RANZCOG CPD program in 2024 and 2025

Learn more about the new mandatory CPD requirements that will come into effect from 1 January 2024 and 2025.

RANZCOG commitment to equitable healthcare

The College recognises the vast inequities faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Australia’s healthcare system, and recognises there is always more work to do to bridge this gap.

Please follow the link below to learn more about our commitment to equitable healthcare in Australia, including our Reconciliation Action Plan.


Cultural safety

The National Scheme’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Cultural Safety Strategy 2020–2025 provides the following definition:

Cultural safety is determined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities. Culturally safe practice is the ongoing critical reflection of health practitioner knowledge, skills, attitudes, practising behaviours and power differentials in delivering safe, accessible and responsive healthcare free of racism.

– Ahpra & National Boards

Please follow the link below to read the full Strategy 2020–2025.

Consistent with the Strategy 2020–2025, it’s expected that your CPD activities allow critical reflection on your clinical practice in relation to:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches to health

the continuing impact of colonisation, racism and bias on health outcomes on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

rights-based approaches to improving health services (including outcomes and access)


Health inequity

According to the Australian Medical Council (AMC):

Different access and outcomes for different groups of people may present differently depending on the specialty and location of a practitioner’s practice. Good medical practice recognises the role of the practitioner as a champion in the system, and also the specialty responsibilities in securing equitable health experiences and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

– Australian Medical Council


Professionalism and ethical practice

All RANZCOG CPD program participants are strongly encouraged to include activities relating to professionalism and ethical practice in their professional development plan (PDP) for this current cycle.

On completing your reflection, it may be helpful to consider the following questions:

How did the activity demonstrate professionalism and ethics?

What professionalism and ethics elements have you learned through undertaking the activity?


How can I meet these CPD requirements?

It may be helpful to consider:

engaging in the activities listed in this section (under Cultural safety and health inequity, Professionalism and ethical practice and Training modules and courses)

accessing the RANZCOG tools and resources in the section below, to help you record your CPD hours

Please note that the College will continue adding to these lists, in consultation with organisations, healthcare professionals and other individuals.

Cultural safety and health inequity

Consider activities that will help you to develop a culturally safe practice and include these in your professional development plan (PDP).

Seek feedback from your patients, their families and communities to review your performance and measure outcomes — this could include patient satisfaction surveys, practice staff surveys, etc.

Explore the RANZCOG cultural safety resources in Acquire, and the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) Cultural Safety Training Modules.

Complete other cultural safety programs, activities and reading through your employer, or as self-directed learning.

View the RANZCOG 2022 NAIDOC week webinar on Indigenous birthing, pregnancy and healthcare

Professionalism and ethical practice

Seek feedback from your patients, their families and communities to review your level of professionalism and ethics — this could include patient satisfaction surveys, practice staff surveys, etc.

Undertake a multi-source feedback (MSF) using the following survey tool:

Please note that this is an approved RANZCOG CPD activity, which allows you to record 18 CPD hours under the Outcome Measures (OM) domain, and 17 hours under the Performance Review (PR) domain. The College will receive notification when you complete an MSF and will update the number of logged CPD hours in your portal accordingly.

Review the following resources:

Complete other professionalism and ethics programs, activities and reading through your employer, or as self-directed learning.

View the following webinars:

Gender Inclusion

Facing Adversity, Finding Connection

Hear from senior colleagues about managing adverse outcomes and potential fears going forward if informal channels of support are gone.

For access to a recording of this webinar, please contact: wellbeing@ranzcog.edu.au

Training modules and courses

Complete the following training modules/courses (as relevant):

Clinical Education Training (CET)
A program for FRANZCOG trainees, Fellows and members interested in becoming clinical educators, or those already involved in training/teaching.
Training Supervisor Workshop
A compulsory program for those who are supervising trainees in the FRANZCOG, Certificate and Associate Training Program (Procedural) and Associate Training Program (Advanced Procedural).


RANZCOG tools and resources

Please consider the following tools and resources to help record your CPD hours:

Annual conversation form — to reflect on your development needs, goals and intentions, including those relating to professionalism and ethics.

Professional reading template — to record details of your reading and viewing activities (including review of the resources and webinars listed above)

Self-evaluation and reflection tool — to reflect on your learnings from cultural safety, professionalism and ethics activities, including implications for your current practice, and any intended follow-up, changes or improvements.

Integrate CPD portal — to record and track your cultural safety, professionalism and ethics activities (as part of your wider CPD program)


Updated
14 March 2024

QUICK CONTACT

cpd@ranzcog.edu.au