As we now approach the end of the Professional Competence Scheme year 2022 – 2023, we recommend that you update your ePortfolio to ensure that your CPD activity is uploaded for the current year 1^st May 2022 – 30^th April 2023.   LOGIN to upload your CPD activity

You will be aware from previous circulations that the PCS requirements  for PCS Year 1^st May 2022 – 30^th April 2023 are as follows.

• All enrolled doctors are required to engage in and record a minimum of 25 CPD credits across ANY credit categories (external, internal, personal, research/teaching). CPD targets for each category will not apply for 2022/23.

AND

• Complete one clinical / practice audit

Doctors will need to confirm that they have met / not met these requirements when completing their annual Medical Council retention of registration in May/June 2023.

We wish to highlight that the PCS portal has not been updated / changed to reflect the above PCS interim requirements and therefore when you record the minimum requirement (25 cpd credits) and one clinical / practice Audit for this current PCS year, your portfolio will indicate that you are ‘not on target’. However, please note that by recording 25 CPD credits and one clinical /practice Audit you are ON TARGET with interim requirements for this PCS year.

You are invited to partake in a study on the personal impact of adverse events on surgeons. This involves a short anonymous online survey asking you to reflect on adverse event or complication you may have been involved in, and the things that may help you or surgeons of the future manage the personal impact of such events. All responses are anonymous, and the survey should take less than four minutes

Please see link to survey HERE.    Any queries can be directed to sorchaomeara@rcsi.ie

RCSI will commence this Verification Process in May / June 2023 where we will randomly select doctors to participate in this process for the year 1^st May 2022 – 30^th April 2023.

Please be aware 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 2023 where we will randomly select doctors to participate in this process for the year 1^st May 2022 – 30^th April 2023.  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 2023 annual retention process.

The Medical Council recognise that periods of certified leave (maternity leave / sick leave) longer than three months may result in a doctor not being able to meet their obligations in relation to professional competence over that period.

If you are (or have been) absent from practice for three months or more during the professional competence year due to maternity or sick leave (which runs from 1st May 2022 -30th April 2023), you should inform RCSI PCS department.  Please complete the Form which is available on our Website or click here

We will record the absence on your PCS portfolio and an annotation will be appear against the relevant year on your Statement of Participation. Where possible, you should try and maintain some engagement in maintenance of professional competence during your absence from practice. You may be required by the Medical Council to produce documentation supporting your absence from practice if you are selected for a Maintenance of Professional Competence Audit.