Online CPD Management System: FAQ

This document addresses the various questions and concerns raised by CPD providers in response to the Board’s communications seeking feedback regarding the proposed online CPD Management System (CPDMS).

Definitions

 

Activity Type:	Whether it is an Event or a Publication.
CPDMS:	The online CPD management system.
CPD provider:	Approved provider of CPD activities, including a QA provider and a provider of an approved single activity.
CPD Provider ID:	A unique ID number issued to each CPD provider by the Board.
Event ID:	ID number issued by a CPD provider; unique to each CPD activity.
Practitioner ID:	ID number issued to each practitioner by the Board.
PCI compliance:	Payment Card Industry data security standard to increase controls around cardholder data to reduce credit card fraud. This standard is applied to the whole database not just the payment components.
Publication ID:	ID number issued by a CPD provider for a publication; unique to each CPD activity.
Transitional period:	From the date the CPDMS is live until 31 March 2021.
Uploads	The information to be provided to the Board via the online CPDMS via the methods set out under paragraph 2.1 below.
2020 CPD year	1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

 

Purpose of the CPDMS

Historically, the Board has been reliant on auditing practitioners each year as a way of ensuring that practitioners are complying with their CPD requirements, but also as a way of monitoring CPD provider compliance.

The CPDMS has been implemented to:
 

• Allow the Board and the profession to consider the delivery of CPD, ensure there is engagement by the profession, and there is value in the delivery and content of activities focussing on genuine learning and development.


• Enable a practitioner to easily identify the CPD activities undertaken in a particular CPD period and to ensure compliance with CPD requirements. CPD providers will be relieved of the requirement to issue certificates to practitioners upon completion of CPD.


• Take a targeted approach to auditing CPD activities and compliance with a view to understand the nature of the profession’s compliance with CPD requirements and offer early support to those members of the profession who are in danger of not satisfying the annual requirement.


• Assess the types of CPD activities being delivered to practitioners, track relevant trends, including courses offered and courses attended, and assess the future needs of the profession.


• Provide feedback to the CPD providers on areas of emerging risk and to consider the value of including more effective CPD being provided across all areas of practice.

The above objectives will assist the Board’s strategic focus to be an effective, efficient and innovative leader in the regulation of legal services in Western Australia by:

• Promoting competence, capability, and compliance with professional obligations.


• Simplifying access to information and providing tools to encourage best practice and promote self-assessment.


• Enhancing our collaborative relationship with stakeholders to promote our mandate, core functions and strategic direction.


• Being innovative and responsive to change.


• Using data to support a fully informed community and profession.


• Carefully managing our resources to maintain capacity.


• Pursuing innovative process improvements, to better achieve our purpose.