The ENRICHVIC program will require you not only to undertake CPD but to also document the activities and demonstrate how the activities chosen addressed your individual learning needs. These learning needs are devised by determining your area of practice and formulating your own learning plans. You will be required to submit this documentation to the Board when audited.  The ENRICHVIC program is not about pharmacists accumulating 20 CPD points each year, it is about pharmacists identifying relevant CPD activities and then undertaking these activities to meet their learning needs and maintain competence.

The usual CPD points advertised by pharmacy CPD providers are equivalent and are the points you will record on your annual activity summary sheet, unless the points allocation guide in Appendix Two of the ENRICHVIC manual states otherwise. If undertaking activities with new providers, you will need to assess the value / usefulness of these activities (see the evaluation criteria in Appendix One of the ENRICHVIC program material) and determine whether it should be included in your annual CPD activity summary. You may at times need to estimate the number of points for an activity. 

Calculate the number of points using the table in Appendix Two (one point per student for each week of student placements). Once you have determined the total number of points that are available, discuss with the participating pharmacists, how these points should be divided.

You should record all of your CPD activities and the total number of CPD points that you accumulate. Clearly, you will accumulate many CPD points by undertaking a graduate certificate course. When determining whether you have met the minimum annual ENRICHVIC requirements of 20 CPD points, you will need to take into consideration the caps which exist (as outlined in Appendix Two) and ensure that you have participated in a suitable range of activities to maintain competence. The maximum number of points which can be accumulated for any one activity as part of the 20 CPD minimum for the year is 15 points. Maybe you might be able to accumulate at least 5 points by undertaking journal reading to keep up with new drugs for instance, or another activity which your post graduate studies are not likely to cover. Think about the range of pharmacy services you provide and the other types of CPD activities which you will benefit from. Even though you may claim more than 20 CPD points with your post graduate studies alone, by undertaking a broader range of activities which relate to your practice, and by observing the caps that are in place, you should be able to meet the requirements of the ENRICHVIC program.

The Board does not accredit courses. Contact any first aid course providers to enquire about course options or recertification. Appendix Two of the ENRICHVIC program manual outlines that 10 points can be obtained for undertaking a senior first aid course and 5 points for recertification.

As outlined in Appendix Two of the ENRICHVIC program manual, you may be able to claim up to 12 points by meeting your obligations as a preceptor (stated in the Board‘s preceptor manual and under ‘internship requirements‘ both which can be located on the Board‘s website). You would need to conduct an on-site training program (note that off-site training programs cannot be substituted for the on-site training program), weekly meetings and supervise the intern during some of the supervised training. If other pharmacists participate in these ways, then you would need to discuss splitting the 12 points between you.

Appendix Two of the ENRICH program manual contains a points allocation guide.

Appendix Two of the ENRICHVIC manual outlines that you can claim the following in relation to reading:

Up to	5 points for reading
Plus an additional	5 points for assessments (e.g. a quiz ) on the material covered in the journal articles you read (half a point for every 5 questions answered).

So if you completed 5 hours of journal reading (5 points) and in the process, you completed 50 assessment questions (5 points) then you could claim 10 points through reading, which is the maximum claimable for assessed reading.

If your journal reading for the year involved reading and no assessments, then the maximum you can claim for reading is still only 5 points. In this case, you would need to accumulate another 15 points through other types of CPD activities.

No. The first 5 hours of reading (5 points) and the first 50 assessment questions you complete (5 points) will give you the maximum points (10 points) which can be achieved through reading. On your Annual ENRICHVIC CPD Activity Summary, you will be required to document the remaining 10 CPD points achieved through other types of activities to meet the minimum 20 CPD point requirement for the year. Of course, you should do as much reading as you need to in your attempt to maintain competence. 

The maximum number of points which can be claimed for assessed reading is 10 points (5 points for reading and an additional 5 points if you complete assessment questions). You can‘t accumulate 15 points from reading alone. The 15 point cap applies to other types of activities (reading has a 10 point cap). The Board has for several years had a policy of 10 contact hours and 10 non-contact hours so it really hasn‘t changed in that respect. You should consider other types of activities such as activities which involve contact with other individuals.

You should consider this type of activity as assessed reading. Although there is a cap of 10 points on this type of activity as outlined in Appendix Two, you should not limit your reading to only achieve the 10 point cap if reading will provide the means to meet particular learning needs identified on your learning plan. In addition to reading, you would need to undertake other types of activities to make up the remaining 10 points required to meet the annual ENRICHVIC requirements. 

It depends on the particular activity. If you undertake a case study which involves reading and answering questions on the case study, this would be assessed reading and can be allocated points for that type of activity as outlined in Appendix 2 of the ENRICHVIC program manual. If you undertake an NPS audit, this is a different type of activity which also involves interaction with patients, reporting and implementing changes. This is allocated 4 points as outlined in Appendix Two.

Yes it is. Assessed reading also includes reading which involves undertaking an assessment which is self assessed e.g. where the answers to questions are published in a subsequent addition of a journal which you then access to assess your progress. 

You will need to evaluate the activity using the criteria listed in Appendix One of the ENRICHVIC program manual, assess the activity in relation to your individual learning plan and consider the likelihood of:

• Improved performance in area of practice after educational activity;
• Improved health outcomes for patients;
• A change in the knowledge or skills base of the participant.

If the activity is likened to product promotion, then it is unlikely that it would meet the criteria listed in Appendix One.

If you need to use this approach to address any of your learning needs identified on your learning plan and are you able to complete an activity recording sheet for this, you may be able to count this as CPD but this will require consideration of other issues. For instance, is the person you are discussing the issue with a person who has suitable experience and knowledge on the subject that is going to result in your knowledge improving and assist you to achieve better outcomes in practice? Will you be able to document how this is going to improve the way your practice (Stage 4 of the learning plan)? Will your record of the discussion be of a standard that will demonstrate clearly that competencies have been addressed? There are caps on the types of activities (15 points) so will you be relying heavily on this type of activity? Are there superior activities available which would result in better outcomes for you?

Have you investigated what options there are for lectures and courses with different CPD providers? If you are a member of pharmacy organisation which provides CPD, do they offer lectures on different days of the week? Maybe you can address your concerns with the providers.

To answer this, you need to look at your learning plan to determine whether this is an appropriate way of addressing your learning needs. You would need to complete Stage 4 of the plan which is to assess the outcome of such an activity and to determine what change to practice this would bring. You would be required to complete an ENRICHVIC activity recording sheet and in doing so, you would be able to address stage 4 of your plan. Your records of this activity are important for auditing. Such activity might count as CPD.

The answer to this question depends on your individual learning plan. Whatever activity results in improving your performance in your area of practice may be considered CPD. You can calculate the number of points based on the number of hours you spend preparing education material etc. 

If education is provided on areas of expertise and efforts in preparing material would not appear to have resulted in improved performance in your area of practice, this may not result in accumulation of CPD points. 

"Pharmacists in evaluating the outcomes for professional development undertaken should be able to demonstrate or at least consider the likelihood of:

• Improved performance in area of practice after educational activity;
• Improved health outcomes for patients;
• A change in the knowledge or skills base of the participant."

To answer this question, you will need to complete Stages 1-3 of the ENRICHVIC cycle. If in your studies, you address some of your individual learning needs and if this activity results in better practice as a pharmacist, you should be able to claim some of your studies as CPD. Be mindful of whether your studies address the necessary issues which relate to the practice of pharmacy and whether your efforts result in better practice as a pharmacist (i.e. have the desired CPD outcomes been achieved). You should also evaluate which of your learning needs will require you to seek other types of pharmacy specific CPD activities which may also include the opportunity to interact with your peers who are in practice.

Once you have worked through Stages 1-3 of the ENRICHVIC program plan, this is going to determine what type of CPD you will need to do. The CPD you do should ultimately result in better practice. Appendix One states -

"Pharmacists in evaluating the outcomes for professional development undertaken should be able to demonstrate or at least consider the likelihood of:

• Improved performance in area of practice after educational activity;
• Improved health outcomes for patients;
• A change in the knowledge or skills base of the participant."

If you are supervising a member of staff who is currently involved in a training course, you should consider whether this activity relates to your own learning needs identified in Stages 1 - 3 of your plan. Then you would need to consider how supervising this person addresses the three dot-points above. If you are unable to achieve these outcomes, you would need to seek alternative CPD activities to address your needs. If you have addressed your learning needs in your role as a supervisor, you would need to allocate points based on the amount of time you spent planning and supervising. This may not be an easy task but you must be prepared to justify your decision and therefore must maintain appropriate documentation.

The Board does not accredit CPD courses or activities. You will need to evaluate the activity using the criteria listed in Appendix One of the ENRICHVIC program manual and individual pharmacists undertaking the activities must assess the activity in relation to their individual learning plans and consider the likelihood of:

• Improved performance in area of practice after educational activity;
• Improved health outcomes for patients;
• A change in the knowledge or skills base of the participant.

Those individuals involved in developing the in-house training will need to give careful consideration to the course content and the time commitment required by participants in order to advise the participants regarding the CPD point allocation for the training.

The Annual ENRICHVIC CPD Activity Summary (see Appendix Seven of the manual) can be in the form of a summary sheet from a CPD provider, provided that you include all the information which is required on the Board‘s documentation. In addition to the annual summary, an ENRICHVIC Activity Recording Sheet (see Appendix Six) must be completed for each activity which addresses your learning plan (see Appendix Five) so that you can complete the CPD cycle and complete Part 4 of your 4-stage record sheet. When audited by the Board, pharmacists may be required to present all of their ENRICHVIC documentation (Learning plan-4-stage record sheet, activity recording sheets and annual activity summaries). If any work related activities are to become part of your CPD plan for the year and contribute towards the minimum 20 ENRICHVIC CPD points required, it must be documented the same way and added to your ENRICHVIC portfolio.

You should fill out an activity sheet for each journal article which meets one of your learning needs as documented on your learning plan.  This would need to be included in your portfolio when it is audited by the Board.

This is a matter for you to determine. Pharmacists who have not practised for any period will need to assess what changes have occurred in that time and attempt to address those as part of the plan for their return to practice. The ENRICHVIC manual states:

"Should absence from practice amount to a period of greater than one year and less than two years, then a pharmacist will be required to gain thirty CPD points in the twelve months after being granted the new general registration."

So, in the year following your 18 month absence from practice, instead of the usual 20 CPD points, you will need to achieve 30 points.

Given that you will be in Victoria for some time prior to the end of this year, you should consider how you can address your learning needs identified on your learning plan prior to your departure and then upon your return. It is recommended that you research CPD activities which are offered during the time that you are here and plan appropriately. Also, are there any CPD activities that you might consider undertaking during your holiday (journal reading, conferences)? If you find that you have not completed the minimum annual requirements of ENRICHVIC prior to the end of this year (at renewal of registration time), you should consider what CPD you will need to undertake in the 12 month period following your return. The Board expects that pharmacists will have ‘time out‘ from the profession. In a case like yours, it would be important to appropriately plan your activities during the time that you are able to undertake CPD and make up any shortfall the following year in addition to meeting the minimum annual requirements which will apply at that time.

This is an option you can take if you wish but it is up to you to decide what is appropriate for you. With non-practising registration, you will not need to meet the annual requirements of ENRICHVIC but if you change back to general registration in the future, consideration will need to be given as to what CPD needs you will have and how you will meet them.

You can renew general registration if you have practised at any time during the preceding two years. If you decide to maintain your general registration, you will be required to report your CPD activities for the year at renewal time. If you accumulated less than the 20 points required, you should think about how you can address this and make up the shortfall in the next registration period.

If you have undertaken CPD this year and continue to undertake more until you take maternity leave, you would report this when renewing your general registration at the end of 2008; maybe you will reach 20 points by then. If you go back to work in 2009, maybe you could undertake some CPD in the time leading to the renewal of registration period (end of 2009). Maybe you can do some journal reading during your maternity leave; 10 points can be claimed if the reading involved completing assessment questions otherwise only 5 points can be claimed for reading. This way you might meet the annual CPD requirements.

Also, the ENRICHVIC program manual states:

"Should absence from practice amount to a period of greater than one year and less than two years, then a pharmacist will be required to gain thirty CPD points in the twelve months after being granted the new general registration."