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Leave and return to practice
This guidance aims to address some common questions that RANZCP Fellows and Affiliates, who are returning to practice after an extended period of leave, may have about their continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.
This guidance should be read in conjunction with information about the RANZCP’s Refresher and Remediation programs, and it may be helpful to contact cpdhelp@ranzcp.org for further information.
Fellows and Affiliates returning from leave should also consider contacting the relevant medical registration authorities:
1. I have been away from work unwell and would now like to return to practice. What are my CPD obligations?
- If you have been non-practising for three years or longer, for any reason, you will need to first contact your medical registration authority (MCNZ or MBA / AHPRA) to verify any recertification requirements. The MCNZ or MBA may set certain requirements for your re-entry to practice, and the RANZCP’s Specialist Performance Remediation Program (SPRP) may assist you in meeting these requirements.
- If you have been non-practising, for any reason, for between one and three years, you will need to complete the equivalent of at least one year’s CPD before recommencing practice. The RANZCP Specialist Refresher Program (SRP) is also available to you and, as a tailored program, could assist you meeting your CPD requirements. You should also check with your medical registration body to verify any recertification requirements.
- If you have been away from practice for a period of up to and including twelve months, there are no additional CPD requirements which you need to complete in order for you to return to practice.
2. I am planning on taking long-service leave. How do I maintain compliance with CPD requirements during my leave?
- If you retain your specialist medical registration status and you are on leave for longer than twelve months, you may be required by the medical registration authority to complete the equivalent of twelve months’ CPD, equivalent to what would be required if you had in fact held registration and been practising for twelve months, prior to returning to practice. Many specialists choose to continue their CPD activities even whilst on extended leave to maintain their competence and professional knowledge.
- You may wish to consider contacting your medical registration authority to change your registration status to “non-practising” during an extended period of leave, as this may mean that you will not be required to meet any CPD obligations until you return to practice. However, it could be important to consider what other implications this may have for your practice.
3. I am an academic returning to clinical practice. Do I need to complete any refresher or remediation activities?
- Depending on how long you have been away from clinical practice (for any reason including to work in a research, academic or administrative capacity), you may need to complete a Refresher or Remediation program as outlined in the answer to Question 1 above.
- If you no longer hold a practising certificate or registration, you will first need to contact your medical regulator regarding re-entry to clinical practice.
4. I have been out of the psychiatric workforce and given a temporary exemption from CPD as per the RANZCP Exemption Policy for 12 months. Are there any requirements for me to now return to practice?
There are no additional requirements for you to return to practice if you have been given an exemption by the RANZCP for CPD for a period of up to and including twelve months.
5. I wish to move into a different subspecialty. This may require that I deliver a new type of therapy, such as rTMS. How do I ensure I am clinically competent to practice in a new area and / or to deliver a therapy that is new to me?
To start practising a new treatment, or to commence working in a different area of practice, you must complete appropriate training requirements. These requirements will depend on a number of factors:
a. Any regulatory requirements that may be in place, for example in Australia there is required training to be eligible to claim the MBS benefit for rTMS.
b. Any local credentialling requirements of your employing health service, for example ECT refresher training.
c. The training or CPD your peers would expect to be completed before practising in a new scope of practice, whether or not there are associated regulatory requirements.
d. You will need to ensure appropriate supervision, which could also be required by the medical registration authority. You should confirm with your medical registration authority whether you will require supervision in these circumstances. The RANZCP SRP could assist with the development of an educational plan to address new competencies requiring educational supervisor oversight.
6. I have been working mostly as a medical executive or administrator while still seeing some patients. What are the CPD requirements that I need to meet in order to be considered to be maintaining my competence in clinical practice?
In both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, the definition of medical practice is broad, and encompasses administration, research, clinical and academic work.
The CPD activities that you undertake must be relevant to your scope of practice, so if you continue to see patients as a psychiatrist you must include activities related to psychiatry in your CPD program.
If you are changing your scope of practice, for instance, returning to full time psychiatric practice after a prolonged period in research, the RANZCP would encourage you to consider undertaking a Specialist Refresher Program to enhance patient safety and your clinical confidence.
7. I have been practising overseas and would like to return to clinical practice in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand. Do I need to take any steps to ensure eligibility to now return to clinical practice in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand?
In Aotearoa New Zealand, if you have been overseas for three years or longer, you should contact the MCNZ to apply for a practising certificate and provide evidence of any work and CPD undertaken overseas. You may also be required to undertake additional CPD activities and practice under supervision for a period,or be required to undertake a Specialist Performance Remediation Program by the MCNZ.
If you are returning to Aotearoa New Zealand after having practised in a comparable health system for at least 24 months for at least 30 hours per week in the preceding three years, the MCNZ may not impose additional conditions or requirements on your return to practice.
If you are returning to Australia after a period of practising overseas, and you meet the MBA’s recency of practice standard, and do not intend to change your scope of practice, you may not need to meet any additional requirements. However, you should contact AHPRA to confirm that there are no further requirements that apply in your circumstances. For more information, please visit Medical Board of Australia - FAQ: Recency of practice.
8. What is the minimum number of hours that I must practice to meet the recency of practice standards?
In Australia, the Medical Board of Australia requires that you practice a minimum of four weeks full time equivalent in one registration period (152 hours), or twelve weeks full time equivalent, over three consecutive registration periods (456 hours).
For more information, please visit the Medical Board of Australia website.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, to maintain your certification to practice medicine, you must meet the recertification requirements set by the MCNZ, including any minimum CPD requirements.
Any doctor who has not been registered must reapply for a practising certificate, and undergo a refresher program, or, if they have been working overseas, must show evidence of work for 36 weeks per year, and for 30 hours of the week, while overseas.
For more information, please visit the Medical Council of New Zealand website.
Helpful links
Australia
Medical Board of Australia - Registration Standards
Medical Board of Australia - FAQ: Recency of practice
Aotearoa New Zealand
Taking a break or retiring from medical practice
Working away from Aotearoa New Zealand
Recertification and professional development
Policy on registration in Aotearoa New Zealand
This guidance should be read in conjunction with information about the RANZCP’s Refresher and Remediation programs, and it may be helpful to contact cpdhelp@ranzcp.org for further information.
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