Breaks in Practice
If you are having difficulty in meeting your CPD target or need a break from your clinical practice due to ill-health, maternity leave or for other reasons, there is a procedure to support you through this period.
UPCA takes the view that the situation of each individual will be different and that the needs of those requiring a break in practice will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, mechanisms need to be in place that ensure that UPCA have adequate information and records as part of their responsibility to patients and the individual practitioner.
The procedures for breaks in practice are as follows:
Notification of a Break in Practice
- Members are required to notify UPCA of any interruption, of over 3 months, from their practice.
- Depending on circumstances this may need to be done prospectively or retrospectively. A form is available for recording this intention along with any mitigating circumstance.
- Members will also need to complete a summary of their CPD plans while on a break from practice as part of the above form. However, UPCA also recognises that some situations may mean it is not possible to undertake such CPD and again the member needs to inform UPCA of this.
Maintaining Membership During a Break in Practice
During a Break from Practice members are required to maintain their membership status and pay their annual membership fees.
Notification of Return to Practice
- When the member intends to return to practice, they will also be required to complete a summary of their CPD plan for that year of practice. A form is available for this.
- Where there has been a break from practice for a period of up to 18 months, and where appropriate CPD has not been possible, members would normally be required to provide evidence of structured / verifiable CPD or alternative / equivalent retraining, undertaken over a period of 6-12 months.
- Where there has been a break from practice of more than 18 months members would normally be required to provide evidence of structured / verifiable CPD or alternative / equivalent retraining, undertaken over a period of 12-18 months.
Breaks in Training
When a student member takes an approved interruption from training and a concurrent break from supervised practice, this may be deemed as a break in training.
The student will not be liable for membership fees provided the programme leader informs UPCA that the student is not training and is not in supervised practice.
Please ask your programme leader to contact us in these circumstances to temporarily suspend your membership.