Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The OBA states that continuing professional development is the means by which members of the profession maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, and develop and maintain the personal and professional qualities required throughout their professional lives. All registered osteopaths (except students and those with nonpractising registration) must undertake CPD to maintain their competence to practise.

Osteopathy Australia provides members with a range of accessible and free or low-cost CPD resources to help meet their registration obligations for CPD.

The OBA has advised that CPD should be relevant to the osteopath’s area of professional practice and have clear learning aims and objectives that meet his or her requirements. CPD activities should also have a focus on the clinical aspects of practice including diagnosis, treatment and management, according to best practice standards and safety of patients.

The OBA CPD is a reflective practitioner model. Osteopaths are required to identify their learning needs related to the practice of osteopathy, identify means of meeting them and reflect on the outcomes and how these have been applied to practice. There are many useful links and advice on CPD on the Osteopathy Australia website.

The OBA CPD requirements are:

• Undertake 25 hours of CPD annually, which includes at least 4 hours of mandatory topics as listed by the board; and

• Maintain a current first aid certificate at the minimum standard of a Senior First Aid certificate or equivalent, which is updated every three years. This is a standalone requirement and is not counted towards your 25 hours of annual CPD learning.

The OBA has divided CPD into three categories:

(1) OBA Mandatory Activity (4 hours minimum) In each 12-month CPD cycle, the OBA requires osteopaths to complete a minimum of four hours related to one or more of the following topics:

• Osteopathy Board of Australia registration standards, codes and guidelines and overview of the National Law, particularly when new or updated versions are published

• Advertising a regulated health service and social media policy

• Evidence-based practice

• Risk management

• Record keeping

• Informed consent

• Effective communication

• Professional boundaries

• Confidentiality and privacy

Some Osteopathy Australia webinars cover these topics so please use this FREE member benefit available online.

(2) Learning with Others (at least 8 hours recommended but not compulsory) Learning with Others can take many different formats and may include: courses, lectures, discussion/ seminar groups and conferences, real-time webinars, being coached or mentored by another health professional and peergroup reviews.

(3) Learning by Oneself (no minimum required) Learning by Oneself may include journal/book reading, distance learning, internet research or production of a publication in relation to your professional work as an osteopath.

The OBA’s Continuing Professional Development Guidelines are available on their website at www.osteopathyboard.gov.au/registration-standards/cpd-resources.aspx or via the Osteopathy Australia website.

Provider Numbers

It is necessary to register with Medicare Australia (132 150) to be recognised as a provider of osteopathic services and to enable your patients to claim any rebate to which they may be entitled. Not having a provider number does not prevent you from practising, only from providing rebates. You will have to fill out an application form and provide proof of your registration.

A different provider number is required for each practising address.

You can download an application form for Allied Health Professionals from www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/organisations/ health-professionals/forms/hw093

Once you have registered for your first provider number, you can apply for additional numbers via the Health Professionals Online Service (HPOS) on the Services Australia website.

You can read more about how to register for HPOS and what it enables you to do on the Services Australia website: www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/organisations/health-professionals/services/medicare/hpos

It is important to keep your HPOS account active by logging in regularly – access to HPOS is suspended after six months of inactivity, but can be easily reactivated by logging in again.

NOTE: It is against the law to use somebody else’s provider number or let somebody use yours. Breaching this condition can have serious consequences for practitioners. Osteopathy Australia strongly recommends cancelling your provider number when you cease practising in a location.

Locums of up to 2 weeks

Practitioners who provide services at a location for less than two weeks and do not expect to ever return to that location may be able to use an existing provider number from another location (but not the number of another provider). You must contact Medicare to seek permission prior to using one of your existing provider numbers.

Osteopaths doing any other type of locum work, or if you return to locations on a regular basis even for short periods, must make sure they have a separate provider number for each different practice location.

Provider number enquiries should be directed to Medicare on 132 150 or www.servicesaustralia.gov.au