HPC audit One radiographers experience

Introduction So, how did I feel when I opened the letter saying I was being audited? Quite frankly, it sucked!! I was in the middle of doing an MSc module and felt the timing couldn’t have been worse. However, when I looked through the CPD evidence I had I realised that the evidence was there so it was just a matter of organising it and putting it in the format requested by the HPC. I decided to go down the ‘paper’ route, although the bulk of my portfolio was on PebblePad. This was because there was very little info on electronic submission although I know other people did submit this way. I think for this it may be easier to use the tools provided by the Society of Radiographers as I believe this is designed specifically for recording CPD for audit purposes.

Unfortunately my first submission was rejected At first I was really upset, spent about half an hour crying! Then got angry, I mean I’m doing an MSc, presenting at conferences, teaching, what more do these people want!! Once I had vented a bit (and used most of my large repertoire of swearwords) I calmed down and looked through the feedback provided. This made it clear what else they expected and gave me a chance to have a look through work out what extra information I needed to provide. Once I had done this, I compiled what was needed, wrote another short supporting statement and sent it off Thankfully it passed after this so I could put it behind me and get on with my work and studies. Hopefully I can now pass on my experiences and what I learnt from the process so that if any of you are selected in the future you’ll pass with flying colours the first time round!

So – where to start: Okay, so if you get the letter telling you that you’re being audited, don’t panic. You get around six weeks to compile your evidence and you should in theory (!) already have everything you need. Start by looking at your CPD portfolio as it stands. Is it good to go as it is or are there a few things that need tweaking? (half done reflections, odds and ends from training courses stashed in other folders) This should help you establish how much time/work is going to be required to complete the requirements. Once you know this speak to your department manager to discuss how they can support you in this with help such as protected CPD time to complete the work. Don’t forget, it’s in their interest too that you don’t get struck off the register!

What goes in your submission? Summary of recent practice (max 500 words): Basically, what it says on the tin! A brief summary of what you have done in the last 2 years. So, if you’ve moved departments, stayed in the same place or had a rota change such as a move into pre-treatment or brachytherapy etc summarise it here. Personal statement (max 1500 words): This is the bulk of your submission. In this statement you have to describe what you have done in the past 2 years to meet the standards for CPD (more on those in a minute!) Summary of evidence: Here you should lay out in table from a summary of the evidence you are submitting, the number of pages in each piece of evidence and which standards it shows you have achieved. Evidence: Submit as an appendix what you have told them you are submitting.

Putting it together: Compiling your personal statement: As this is the bulk of the submission it’s the bit that takes the time and effort. However before you can start it you need to work out what evidence you are submitting as the HPC don’t want everything, just a range to show you are meeting their standards What are the standards? – –Maintain an up to date record of CPD – You should include a list/table of all the CPD you have undertaken in the past 3 years, including activities you are not submitting as evidence. – –Demonstrate that activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current practice – Ensure that the evidence you choose is varied. This includes a range of radiotherapy specific learning and general healthcare requirements, mandatory training etc. (this is where I went wrong!) – –Seek to ensure that their CPD has contributed to the quality of their practice and service delivery – It’s not about just doing whatever courses are offered but at looking at what will benefit your role as a professional – ‘”It’s not just a stamp collecting exercise!” (Eddy, D. all the time) – –Seek to ensure that their CPD benefits the service user – Consider and explain in your statement how your chosen CPD helps develop the profession and the service offered to the benefit of the patient. – –Present a written profile containing evidence of their CPD upon request – Well, that’s what you’re doing when audited so that’s an easy one!

Personal Statement In your personal statement you need to be explaining what evidence you are submitting and why. How you set your statement out is up to you. It could be done in a chronological order of the evidence, explaining for each piece of evidence which standard it meets and why. Alternatively it can be set out sectioned by standard. So to achieve standard 1 your evidence would be the table of all your CPD activities, then you would talk about how you’ve achieved standard 2 and so on. There are some example profiles on the HPC website which can be helpful in detailing how to set out your submission. Unfortunately there is no therapy radiographer profile, just a diagnostic but it is good to use as a guideline/starting point. There are a lot of useful tools and advice on the HPC website so do take a look.

In summary: If you get selected – DON’T PANIC!! Read through all the information that the HPC provide with the letter they send and take a look at all the tips and advice on the HPC website : Think about all the evidence you have and formulate a (cunning) plan of what you are going to submit Lastly, if the work you submit is rejected it’s not the end of the world. When you’re finished with the swearing and/or crying, just read through the feedback you’ve received and re-submit whatever extra information it is they have asked for.