CPD is an important element of maintaining a Health & Wellbeing membership.

1. Membership of the Association (Fees Paid on Time).
2. Current Professional Indemnity Insurance.
3. Current First Aid certificate.
4. Massage or related modality qualification, achieved in Australia of Overseas.
5. A commitment of 20 CPD points per membership year.

CPD is an important element of maintaining status as a provider with Australian Health Insurance Funds.  These funds require that providers must be up to date with the following in order to be recognised as a provider of health benefits in the discipline of massage therapy:

1. Membership of a recognised Association (Fees Paid on Time)
2. Current Professional Indemnity Insurance
3. Current Level 2 First Aid certificate
4. Massage therapy qualifications at either the HLT Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice, HLT Diploma of Remedial Massage, 21920VIC Advanced Diploma of Remedial Massage (Myotherapy) or 22248VIC Advanced Diploma of Myotherapy or Batchelor degree level gained from an Australian Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
5. A commitment to CPD as listed per level under ‘What are my CPD requirements?’ found on page 4 

The CPD Policy is founded on the following principles:

• Easily accessible to all members, regardless of geographic location.
• Members to be given broad latitude in the selection and design of their individual learning programs.
• Applicable to not only massage therapy disciplines, but also to relevant practices involving direct client/patient care.
• Encourages all aspects of clinical practice as well as activities associated in managing a small business e.g., bookkeeping, advertising and marketing, research, law and ethics.
• Seminars, workshops and conferences that qualify for CPD points must be of a high standard and encompass both broad based topics as well as discipline-specific topics.
• Effectively managed by MAA administration and the Board. 
• Financially viable so that costs are not prohibitive, especially to those in remote areas.
• Relevant to the learning needs of practitioners, taking into account different learning styles and needs.
• Collaborative process between professional complementary medicine associations, teaching institutions and government agencies to offer members the widest possible choice in CPD activities.
• Welcomes feedback from MAA members for the future development and implementation of the program.

All levels of membership are to maintain a minimum of 20 CPD points of education over each year of membership i.e., commencing and ending on the membership joining/expiry date. 

Students (Therapist in Training) require 0 CPD points.

Health & Wellbeing need to complete 20 CPD points in total over 12 months as a requirement of your membership.

Therapeutic Members need to maintain a minimum of 20 CPD points at all times and need to complete 30 CPD points in total over 12 months as a requirement of your membership.

Remedial Members need to maintain a minimum of 20 CPD points at all times and need to complete 40 CPD points in total over 12 months as a requirement of your membership.

Myotherapy Members need to maintain a minimum of 20 CPD points at all times and need to complete 50 CPD points in total over 12 months as a requirement of your membership.

Health Funds will remove members from provider lists without notice: 

• This occurs in the event your CPD falls below the minimum threshold of 20 CPD points at any time during the 12 month period.

• The restoration of your provider number will only begin once your CPD is back at a minimum of 20.
• It may take the Health Funds up to 13 weeks to reinstate your provider number. 

One hour of activity generally equates with one CPD point. For example, an all-day seminar/workshop involves attendance as well as study of the reading material normally allocated expected completion time by the person delivering.  

If a member exceeds their allocated CPD points in a year, a maximum of 10 CPD points can be carried over into the next year.

CPD and Non-Practicing Members:
As members may be non-practicing for a number of reasons e.g., maternity leave, recovery from illness, family illness, travelling overseas etc, they are not required to complete the CPD allocated to their level of membership. CPD is only applicable to practicing members.
Non-Practicing Members are to advise the office in writing so their files can be updated.

The onus of record keeping is the responsibility of each member.  

Members are issued with a CPD Record form together with their renewal notice, and this must be completed and returned with the renewal form and membership fees for the upcoming year.

CPD requirements must be met for the previous year before membership certificates can be issued. CPD needs to be updated or HF compliancy will become inactive. Health Funds can take up to 13 weeks to reinstate your provider number.

The requirement of proof is an essential factor in the CPD process, and the evidence produced must be in English and be reasonably self-evident that the activity was undertaken.

Suggested CPD activities are advertised on the MAA website Courses & Events Tab.

From time to time, special event and free activities are notified to members via bulk email promotion and invitation.

To download a copy of the list of suggested activities that qualify for CPD points and the "CPD record sheet" click here