We wish to advise you that on reviewing your Professional Competence Scheme portfolio, we note that you have reached the required target for the current year which ends on 30^th April 2020.  See below your CPD activity uploaded to-date

 

Term	External (20 min)	Internal (20 min)	Personal Learning (5 min)	Research & Teaching (desirable)	Total Credit Requirement 1st May 2020 - 30th April 2021 (25 min)	Credits on Target
2020-2021

Please note this information above is based on an automated report on a given date /time from your PCS portfolio and if you have uploaded credits in the meantime, they will not be displayed above. Any queries, email pcs@rcsi.ie 

 

As you are aware that for the 2020/21 Professional Competence Scheme Year, the Framework for Maintenance of Professional Competence Activity found in the Maintenance of Professional Competence Guidelines for Doctors has been modified and the following applies:

 

• Doctors are required to record 25 CPD credits of the 50 CPD credit total with their Scheme.  These 25 credits can be recorded in any CPD category (external, internal, personal learning, research/teaching). Minimum CPD targets for each category do not apply for 2020/21.

 

RCSI continue to encourage you to take a broader approach, where it is possible to do so, to ensure you participate in at least 20 hours of External activities (these can be online courses / seminars / conferences / webinars etc), participate in at least 20 hours of Internal activities such as hospital based events like Grand Rounds, MDTs and quality improvement activities (even if these are by web conference).  You should continue to read, particularly the key journals for your specialty, and record your reading under the Personal Learning category.  Auditing the outcome of care process is more important than ever and we recommend that every surgeon and Emergency Medicine NCHD or specialist should continue to conduct and record an audit of some aspect of their practice every year. 

 

As we now approach the end of the Professional Competence Scheme year 2020 – 2021, we recommend that if you have any additional CPD activity to upload, that you login and update your portfolio.

 

We wish to advise you that as part of the Arrangement with the Medical Council, the Training Bodies are required to undertake a verification of activities recorded by 3-5% of doctors enrolled on the Professional Competence Scheme.  RCSI will commence this Verification Process in May / June 2021 where we will randomly select doctors to participate in this process for the year 1^st May 2020 – 30^th April 2021.  This process will involve checking the activities that have been uploaded to a doctor’s PCS portfolio and the CPD credits assigned to each activity.  This is a supportive exercise and provides support to assist doctors in meeting the PCS requirements.   

 

The Medical Council have indicated that doctors will be asked to make a declaration about their maintenance of professional competence during the July 2021 annual retention process.   

 

You should now login to your PCS profile https://pcs.rcsi.ie/ and review your portfolio. For further information https://www.medicalcouncil.ie/covid-19/ 

 

Please email us on pcs@rcsi.ie if you have any queries or need assistance in relation to your PCS.

Yours sincerely

 

Professor Sean Tierney BSc MCh FRCSI
Dean of Professional Development and Practice