RCSI opens enrolment for Professional Competence Schemes
RCSI opened its Professional Competence Scheme (PCS) today via the Colles Portal, where an online PCS module has been created to enable medical practitioners easily record and monitor their continuing professional development and clinical audit activities which are now required by the Irish Medical Council under Part 11 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007.
RCSI will administer its PCS to doctors working in surgery, emergency medicine, sports and exercise medicine, ophthalmic surgery and ophthalmology. All practising doctors except those who are enrolled in a BST or HST programme are required to enrol in a recognised Professional Competence Scheme from May 2011.
The PCS module within the Colles Portal has been created to enable doctors to maintain an accurate record of CPD activity, provide easy access to CPD programme requirements and provide immediate access to CPD category scores matched to the schemes requirements, so that doctors can plan their professional development activities to meet the requirements. The College also provides a range of educational activities for fellows and members to help them meet the professional competence requirements including the annual Charter Day and Millin meeting as well as approving external educational meetings for the purposes of CPD.
RCSI is one of the thirteen postgraduate training bodies accredited by the Irish Medical Council to administer the PCS to medical professionals. The cost of the scheme, which has been set in consultation with the Medical Council and is being administered on a not-for-profit basis, is €275 per year.
Professor Eilis McGovern, President of RCSI, said: "RCSI's role in the professional competence scheme is to act as a repository for surgeons to input data about their professional activity, which will then be collated and made available to both the individual clinician and the Medical Council. We look forward to working with healthcare professionals to support their PCS requirements as well as their development needs for the benefit of their patients and their practice."
