Optometrists Board launches Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Scheme

The following is issued on behalf of the Optometrists Board:

     The Optometrists Board under the Supplementary Medical Professions Council will launch the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Scheme tomorrow (July 1).

     The Board launched the Voluntary CPD Scheme in 2004. The main purpose of implementing CPD is to encourage optometrists to commit themselves to lifelong learning with the aim of providing professional optometry services to the public. In order to continue to keep up the strong professional competency of optometrists, the Board has kept reviewing from time to time the feasibility of making CPD a mandatory requirement.  

     In the Report of Strategic Review on Healthcare Manpower Planning and Professional Development released in June 2017, one of the recommendations was to invite the Council to consider making CPD a mandatory requirement. The Council accepted the recommendation and instructed all supplementary medical profession boards to work out its implementation proposal.  

     With the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, the proposal from the Board was endorsed by the Council and it was decided that the Mandatory CPD Scheme would be implemented with effect from July 1, 2021.  

     Under the mandatory scheme, all optometrists are required to attain not less than 30 CPD points in every three-year cycle. The CPD requirements will also be added into the Code of Practice for Registered Optometrists. 

     Details of the Mandatory CPD Scheme for optometrists are available at the Board's website (www.smp-council.org.hk/op/en/content.php?page=cpd).