The Optometry Board of Australia has announced changes to its CPD system will take effect from December 2020, when the points system will become hours-based.
A new one-year period in which to amass the necessary points will also replace the current two-year rolling programme, with registered optometrists needing to complete at least 20 hours of evidence-based CPD annually. An additional 10 hours of CPD relating to therapeutic practice will also be necessary for optometrists to retain their therapeutic licence. Five of the total hours need to be face-to-face.
In anticipation of the change, Optometry Australia has developed an interactive online learning platform, the OA Institute of Excellence, to enable members to access ‘a comprehensive suite of quality and online resources anytime anywhere’.
OA professional development manager Simon Hanna said the changes are more consistent with other medical professions and highlighted another change in an explanatory film shared on the new platform. “You currently do 60 minutes to get two CPD points, with the new changes, you can do 0.5 hours and log that as part of the CPD.”
