What is CPD?

Continuing Professional Developement (CPD) is defined as a well-structured program of further education for graduates in professional occupations. The MAA CPD/E Membership Standard is designed to ensure all members regularly update their clinical skills, business skills and professional knowledge.

PRINCIPLES UNDERPINING THE CPD MEMBERSHIP STANDARD

The CPD/E Membership Standard 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 direct client/patient care & massage therapy disciplines, but also to relevant practices supporting clinical practice or anything that can be linked to providing direct client/patient care or support to a clinical practice.
  • 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.
  • 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/E activities.
  • Effectively managed by MAA administration and the Board. 
  • Welcomes feedback from MAA members for the future development and implementation of the program.

 

WHAT ARE MY CPD REQUIREMENTS?

All levels of membership are to maintain a minimum number of CPD/E points in accordance with their level.  

Non-Accredited Professional Members (Health & Wellbeing) need to maintain a minimum of:

10 CPD/E points as a requirement of your membership at all times.

Accredited Professional Members (Therapeutic, Remedial & Myotherapy Members), need to maintain a minimum of:

20 Provision of Massage & Manual Therapy (PMMT) points at all times.

10 Professional Practice & Other Supporting Education (PPOS) points at all times.

Health Funds can remove members from provider lists without notice1

Students (Therapist in Training) are required to maintain 0 CPD/E points.

Members on Leave require 0 CPD/E points in the first 12 months, members on extended leave (over 12 months) will be required to obtain some CPD/E2.  

Non-Practicing Members are required to maintain 0 CPD/E points.

1 This occurs in the event your CPD/E falls below the minimum threshold. The restoration of your provider number will only begin once your CPD/E is back at the minimum threshold. It may take the Health Funds up to 13 weeks to reinstate your provider numbers. 

2 Accredited Professional Members on extended leave (over 12 months) are required to obtain the minimum required level in the first 6 months of extended leave and then maintain the required level after this. All other membership levels are to complete at least one CPD/E activity each 12 months.

CPD/E RECORD KEEPING

The onus of record keeping is the responsibility of each member BUT we are here to help.  

The requirement of proof is an essential factor in the CPD/E process, and that the evidence is readily available at all times. 

MAA has a commitment to assist with the storage of your CPD/E. Members are to submit all evidence of CPD/E through the member portal or by email to the office.

The two types of evidence are:

RTO/Provider Evidence Supplied:

An AQF certificate, academic transcript, statement of attainment or a certificate of Completion/Participation which states hours of participation, or equivalent CPD/E points issued by the entity conducting the CPD/E.

No Evidence Supplied by RTO/Provider:

CPD/E that has been completed with a training provider that does not issue a certificate of Completion/Participation which states hours of participation or equivalent CPD/E points, or the CPD/E was self-directed and not able to be awarded a certificate.   

In this case you will need to provide a MAA CPD/E Reflective Review

WHAT IS NOT COVERED?

 

Like all things there needs to be some rules!

  • All CPD/E only lasts for 12 months.
  • All CPD/E events are capped at 25 Points.
  • CPD/E Events less than 30 Minutes are not allowed.
  • No courses that are required to meet membership compliancy are eligible for CPD/E points (i.e. HLTAID011 - Provide First Aid)
  • The same source document or training resource cannot be used again within 24 months of the last submission.

 

 

Free CPD/E

MAA will always strive to provide enough free CPD/E activities to our members to maintain their Membership Standard please follow these links to check out whats available:

LOW COST & FREE CPD OPPORTUNITY

MEMBERS ONLY CPD/E OPPORTUNITY (note you will need to be logged in to your members area to access this)