College provides a range of tools and resources to help you navigate the new CPD requirements relating to professionalism, addressing health inequities, cultural safety and ethical practice in Australia. Doctors should strive to always be advocates of their patients and in doing this, strive for equitable health outcomes for all communities, particularly communities that are socio-economically disadvantaged. Good medical practice is culturally safe, professional and ethical.
A Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia
The Good Medical Practice Code of Conduct describes what is expected of doctors registered to practise medicine in Australia. It sets out the principles that characterise good medical practice and makes explicit the standards of ethical and professional conduct expected of doctors by their professional peers and the community.
College will continue to identify, developed and approved activities that align to this Code of Conduct. Click here to view the Good Medical Practice: A Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia
Program-level requirements – PACE Objectives
From 2024, all College CPD program participants will be required to engage in activities for:
- Professionalism
- Addressing health inequities
- Culturally safe practice
- Ethical practice
There are no specific numbers of hours that should be allocated to these activities; however, your professional development plan (PDP) should consider some of these.
Please note that you will be able to track hours spent on these activities from your CPD portal dashboard.
College’s commitment to equitable healthcare
College recognises the vast inequities faced by First Nations peoples in Australia’s healthcare system and recognises there is always more work to do to bridge this gap.
Please follow the link below to learn more about our commitment to equitable healthcare in Australia, including our Reconciliation Action Plan and more generally on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement page of our website.
Cultural safety
The National Scheme’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Cultural Safety Strategy 2020–2025 provides the following definition:
“Cultural safety is determined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities. Culturally safe practice is the ongoing critical reflection of health practitioner knowledge, skills, attitudes, practising behaviours and power differentials in delivering safe, accessible and responsive healthcare free of racism.”
– Ahpra & National Boards
Please click here to read the full Strategy 2020–2025.
Consistent with the Strategy 2020–2025, it’s expected that your CPD activities allow critical reflection on your clinical practice in relation to:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches to health
- the continuing impact of colonisation, racism and bias on health outcomes on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- rights-based approaches to improving health services (including outcomes and access).
Health inequity
According to the Australian Medical Council (AMC):
“Different access and outcomes for different groups of people may present differently depending on the specialty and location of a practitioner’s practice. Good medical practice recognises the role of the practitioner as a champion in the system, and also the specialty responsibilities in securing equitable health experiences and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.”
– Australian Medical Council
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
The AIHW also publishes numerous resources on the issues of health inequity among many communities including LGBTQI+ and the disabled – refer to link. There are many ways to demonstrate your compliance with this requirement including through targeted learning and undertaking an audit of the cultural safety of your practice. You may be doing several activities already that align with the Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia.
Professionalism and Ethical Practice
All College CPD program participants are strongly encouraged to include activities relating to professionalism and ethical practice in their professional development plan (PDP) during future CPD cycles.
On completing your reflection, it may be helpful to consider the following questions:
- How did the activity demonstrate professionalism and ethics?
- What professionalism and ethics elements have you learned through undertaking the activity?
How can you meet these CPD requirements?
It may be helpful to consider engaging in the activities listed below
Please note that College will continue adding to these lists, in consultation with organisations, healthcare professionals and other individuals.
Maintenance of Contemporary Clinical Knowledge & Skills/Research Learning & Teaching
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Cultural Competency |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Culture Module, Intercultural Competency for Medical Specialists Module. Participate in cultural safety programs, activities and reading through your employer, or as self-directed learning. |
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Professional and Ethical Practice |
Complete other professionalism and ethics programs, activities and reading through your employer, or as self-directed learning. |
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AIDA Workshop |
A clinically focused and designed to assist medical practitioners integrate cultural safety into their practices to improve healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. |
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Personal Reading and Study |
Reading and implementing into practice information from College’s community resources and campaigns. Reading relevant published works via journals. |
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Meetings and Conferences |
Attend sessions such as Ethics and Professionalism, Indigenous Health updates. Attend College’s biennial Rural Dermatology Meeting to understand issue maldistribution of health services, service delivery in remote communities and clinical updates in the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Enrol in program such as Rainbow Health Introduction to LGBTQI+ Inclusive Practice. |
Reviewing and reflecting on performance and work processes
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Professional Development Plan (PDP) |
Consider activities that will help you to develop a culturally safe practice and include these in your professional development plan (PDP). |
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Committees |
Any time devoted to committees such as Professional Standards, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee, Rural and Remote Services Committee. |
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Peer Review/Feedback |
Seek feedback from your patients, their families and communities to review your performance and measure outcomes — this could include patient satisfaction surveys, practice staff surveys, etc. |
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Review and update your services |
Review and share College’s Community resources with patients and request feedback e.g. Caring for the Skin You’re in Podcast series – see link. Helps, helps videos and stories – see link. Patient Support Groups – see link. |
Measurement of outcomes of care, auditing and reflection
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Non-Clinical Audit |
Review your practice against cultural safety standards and frameworks for marginalised groups using the NSW Health self-assessment tool. |
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Quality Improvement Project |
Undertake a review of your practice website and general communications to ensure they reflect PACE objectives. Identify opportunities to make changes. |
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Review of Medical Records |
Medicolegal work (report, expert witness), Clinical case review, root case analysis in the context of the PACE objectives. Identify trends and improve your professional understanding of your speciality and in particular you patients and everyday practice. |
