CPD

[jasper]

Can anyone tell me how many hours CPD we have to do per year for our SST membership please? I have searched for ages on their website, and through all the stuff they sent us and I can't see anything there! Thought that I should really start applying for CPD courses but don't really know anything about it!

Thanks in advance

[st1417]

hi jasper, from memory when i was a member it was either 32 hours over 2 years or 16  per year but cant be sure, I found the cpd provision was heavily weighted toward certain providers and expensive for the quality of instructiion. As I also work in the fitness, coaching industry I moved to STO who recognise ftness cpd, incidently I am nolonger with REPs for the same reasons, no acceptance of therapy based cpd even high quality corrective exercise courses. I found I was having to do approx 3 days for each REPs, SST and then for teacher status, the average price per day being between £100-150 plus travel and accoms made them all cost prohibitive. My current membership has cut CPD costs by about 75%
ST1417

[Smartie]

I have just rung the SST to confirm the required number of hours, as this triggered in my mind that I was unaware of how many hours we needed. According to the lady I spoke to, they do not "specify the number of hours anymore", we just need to prove that we are continually updating our skills on a regular basis.

Interestingly fairly subjective, I had imagined there would have been a much stricter requirement than that!

[st1417]

My colleague who joined SST 3 months after passing a diploma course in ST, published as recognised by SSt on their website was hounded after a further 3 months as not being upto date with cpd, the reply was that the therapsit needs to fit into SST working year start and end dates and he was required to do approx 30 hours with an approved provider or his membership would be revoked, needless to say he left.
I have to agree with Smartie thatthere should be some formalisation of the program, that was  one of the reasons for the application for regulation..............
ST1417

[Smartie]

I am still surprised also that there are no minimum requirements regarding CPD hours, I guess it gives us alont of freeway regarding what we choose to do, however I struggle to understand how undertaking some form of CPD can make me a better therapist, when as it stands, they are basically saying we have to do very little to maintain our membership. In terms of CPD, I have looked at the STO and think that the structure seems alot more effective, plus they actually give a little more advertising regarding courses that are available! I think the SST should start updating their website a little more to help support us therapists who are relatively new to the industry!

[Bananaman]

Having just spoken to a physio that i work with, i was interested to know that they do not have a formal set number of hours either. They must however show that they are developing their skills, keeping them up to date and are able to do their job. Since joining the SST i have also been unsure of the hours untill now. I have just been keeping up todate and storing good records to cover myself for if and when they track me down and ask me!