Bill Harvey: A clinic full of cynics?

From January 2022, Continuing Education and Training (CET) will be no more.

This is likely to be one of the outcomes of the GOC review of CET, which is currently under consultation. Among changes that have been proposed is a move from CET to Continuing Professional Development (CPD). I welcome this as, not only does CPD better reflect evolution and progress, I was never convinced that the difference was made clear in the first place.

Other sensible changes being proposed include dropping the current competence subjects and, instead, use four categories that better reflect the GOC Standards of Practice. Larger CET providers will, I am sure, welcome plans to drop individual CET approvals and instead introduce provider accreditation. Auditing is the key here. Optician CET is published, so any one can audit us – and many do! Local ‘live’ meetings, however, may need robust auditing to reassure us that they are not commercially slanted. The same has to be said for the plan to include non-approved CPD; we all know medics who get CPD for showing a book receipt. Finally, a reflective exercise from every registrant will become mandatory. I have some concerns that, among the people with whom this must be agreed, ‘employers’ are listed.