VetSkill SQPs – Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
As an SQP, you are professionally responsible for maintaining up to date knowledge and understanding of the medicines you are prescribing and/or supplying, in addition to any legal or professional changes, to ensure competence in your role.
VetSkill, as many other professional registers, use an outcome-focused CPD which includes a reflection element, and therefore aims to encourage SQPs to reflect on what they have learnt in relation to their role as an SQP.
Annual SQP CPD requirements
CPD is a mandatory, yet simple, process for all VetSkill SQPs. CPD requirements are set out in hours, similar to many other organisations who hold professional registers. The amount of CPD you will be required to undertake depends on your SQP category and the date on which you qualified.
A CPD period is defined as a one year period, which starts on the 1st January of the year after SQP status is achieved, or transfer to the VetSkill SQP Register was completed, and ends on the 31st December.
If you join the register at any other time, you will be required to complete CPD for that year on a pro-rata basis, for example, if you join the register on the 1st July, you will be required to complete half the annual CPD requirement before the 31st December.
As a VetSkill SQP, the minimum number of CPD hours each SQP type is required to complete on an annual basis is detailed below:
| SQP Type | VPS Medicines | No. of hrs from CPD Activities | No. of hrs from Personal study | Total CPD hours per year |
| C-SQP | VPS Companion animals only | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| J- SQP | VPS Equines only | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| L-SQP | VPS Farm animals only | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| A-SQP | VPS Avian only | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| E-SQP | VPS Companion & Equine only | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| K-SQP | VPS Companion & Farm Only | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| CA-SQP | VPS Companion & Avian only | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| G-SQP | VPS Equine & Farm only | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| JA-SQP | VPS Equine & Avian only | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| AL-SQP | VPS Avian & Farm only | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| R- SQP | VPS Companion, Equine & Farm | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| EA-SQP | VPS Companion, Equine & Avian | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| CAL-SQP | VPS Companion, Avian & Farm | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| S-SQP | VPS Avian, Equine & Farm | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| XA-SQP | VPS Companion, Equine, Avian & Farm | 10 | 5 | 15 |
Permissible CPD activities
All CPD activities claimed against your SQP role must be relevant to your SQP category.
When attending CPD activities that cover a range of topics, you must only claim for the duration that is relevant to your SQP category, not for the duration of the whole CPD activity.
The list of CPD activities below are samples of what can be claimed and how this can be evidenced. The list is not exhaustive.
| Activity Type | Evidence required |
|---|---|
| Attended training sessions | Attendance certificates with agenda |
| Attended Conferences | Attendance certificates with agenda |
| Attended Seminars | Attendance certificates with agenda |
| Online training sessions | Attendance certificates with agenda and evidence of engagement |
| Online Conferences | Attendance certificates with agenda and evidence of engagement |
| Online Seminars | Attendance certificates with agenda and evidence of engagement |
| Practical training events | Attendance certificates with agenda |
| In house training/Mentoring | Employer training attendance certificate |
| Job shadowing/Secondment | Manager/employer report |
Example of private or self-study activities can be found below. Where self-study is permitted, no more than five hours can be claimed per year.
| Activity Type | Evidence required |
|---|---|
| Pre-recorded Webcast | Online attendance certificates with agenda |
| Research (including research in preparation for delivering presentations) | Copies of research/programmes |
| Critical reading of relevant publications | Title of article and publication |
Claiming and recording CPD
Once registered with VetSkill, you will be provided with personalised access to VetSkill’s SQP Hub. This contains VetSkill’s online SQP CPD recording system, allowing you to view, monitor and upload records and evidence of your completed CPD.
It is expected that CPD is undertaken on a continuous basis and the minimum annual requirements are fulfilled. VetSkill will audit CPD records to ensure requirements are met and the content is relevant to your SQP category.
If in any year, an SQP is unable to complete the required amount of CPD, it may be possible to review a three year average. If you are concerned you will not be able to meet the annual requirements, please contact info@vetskill.com to discuss this further.
In the event of an SQP failing to meet the CPD requirements, they will be required to undertake and pass the re-accreditation examination to confirm competency, before being allowed back onto the SQP Register. There are fees payable for the examination and the re-instatement fee, in addition to the annual registration fee.