Posted By Brenda H Hi there, I'm looking at starting my online CPD and have read the various booklets which tell you what you need to do. This is mostly clear, however, I have no idea on where to start in assessing my current level of professional development. Has anyone else started this part of the online CPD process and would be willing to share with me what they've done so I can see how its been structure. Thanks in advance, B

Posted By Brenda H Hi Ian, I've read it and re-read it and just can't get my head round where to start!! I'm guessing it's a bit like a yearly appraisal, but i'm not sure whether to structure it like this or not!

Posted By Ali I have started collecting CPD points and IOSH informed me that when I have completed my current 2yr cycle and gained CMIOSH (I already have MIOSH,)only then can I "go online". Does this help ?

Posted By waiks I was told the exact same thing as Ali so I'm in the same position there - I have to do the paper copy first before going online. Going straight to online versions would have been easier I think - but I just need some time away from work to start getting it in order.

Posted By Hilary Charlton I have completed the 2 year paper cycle and have started with the online CPD development plan and actions. Like everyone else I was thoroughly confused about how to do a development plan, but have decided to do this in bits as we cannot know what changes there are going to be to the Law and plan for every eventuality. I have plugged in those things that I know are going to happen and one or two things that I think should happen and am playing it very much by ear, building it up as I go along. I don't know if this is right or not but I guess at the end of the day if the points add up then does it really matter in which order it all goes on the computer system or if the development plan is done quarterly, biannually or even for the whole 3 years at once. Surely the important thing is to demonstrate development activities. As long as that is happening then you must be doing it right but whatever means you use to get there. Hope this helps. Hilary

Posted By Ian P Hilary's idea of putting in the basics to start with and adding items as you go along sounds about the only way I can see of doing it, I have trouble planning 3 weeks in advance never mind 3 years

Posted By Davelfc Brenda, & all I basically put in my diray any courses seminars, events meetings and anything I thought wouldlead to development and spent some time then putting it into the planthis was quite some months ago. I go in now and then to update and find that some I have been unable to attend because of work commitments. Though in some cases some thing that I amy plan in during the year can then be added. I also find that some of the events etc that I have attended have lead to other pointers like and artical i will read or legislation and ACOP's that I have actually statred to delve that little bit deeper and reflect on this when I update. That is how I have been condcuting it so far and hope I am going down the right lines. An example CDM I have been to a few seminars and events and groups where the prosped chages have been discussed, I have read the draft ACOP and other articles, and information from the association of project safety and the HSE, and listened to HSE speakers. From this I have breifed my organisation in safety review meetings and think that I and the my company will be better placed because oft his when the changes are confirmed. Also much the same with thf Fire Reform Order. Again I have reflected on what I have personnaly got out of that and put it into words and allocated points where I feel I have learned benefited, or in some cases just entered info in and not given myself anything as I have not really learned any more than I already new, but it may link later on to something when the penny finally drops cus i am a bit slow sometimes. I may in the future stand to be corrected but hope I am not far off what it is all about? I hope I am not sending anyone down the garden path but this is how I percieve the system a bit of learning/developemnt & self devlopment , put in to practice where possible, self analysis and reflection, revisit it now and then and record Might be a bit long winded but I have tried to break it down as best I can good luck its new to all I will watch this thread with interest and hope to pick up some pointers if I to am not quite there. Which is what the forum is all about Regards Dave

Posted By john frank I've just started mine, but it's still unclear how many points i need to achieve over the two years.

Posted By Ian P "To successfully complete each 3 year CPD cycle, you must accumulate a minimum of 30 CPD credits .... a minimum of 9 credits in each of the three sections" (Maintaining Professional skills, Developing Professional skills, Developing Transferrable skills). Doesn't seem an awful lot to me which makes me less sure of what I'm doing but hey ho.

Posted By Malcolm Hogarth Brenda, I am having the same problem as you when you first started. I have been putting CPD off since I got my letter in May but have decided to bite the bullet. After tying myself up in knots I decided to search the discussion forums and hey presto found your query.It appears that I am not alone in my confusion (which I am a bit grateful for)and would welcome any advice, as I too am having trouble with starting on my development plan. Can somebody point me in the right direction please. Malcolm

Posted By Wai Ming WU Totally agree with Simon and others who have the same unhappy experience in trying the Online CPD system. Personally, I think that the system is not user friendly. Would IOSH concerned parties reconsider members' opinions?

Posted By Malcolm Hogarth Thanks Hazel. The information is very succint and it is reassuring to hear that there is no right or wrong way to do a development plan(I guess it is a bit like preparing a good CV) Can you perhaps help with an example or two of 'model'development plans as you would expect to see them? Failing that how about a template of how a good one might be set out. Thanks once again, Malcolm

Posted By Hazel Harvey How do you know you will get sufficient professional development if you haven't planned it. If you are confident of getting the credits then you must have an idea of what you are going to do, this is the essence of a development plan. You could just make a list of what you intend to do over the next year or so and this could be your plan. If you then happen to attend something you hadn't planned you could still use this for credit accumulation. Just because something isn't on the plan doesn't mean you can't use it. The concept behind the development plan is to get members to think about their professional development in a more structured way but as I said in my previous posting, it is your own record so you can use it how you like. As yet it is still a bit early in the development of the on-line scheme to pick up really good plans although this is certainly something we will be able to in future. In the meantime just give it a try bearing in mind that as its your first attempt there wouldn't be any expectation of it being perfect! Hazel Harvey

Posted By Hazel Harvey Wai Ming, If you can't complete the all the development plan it doesn't matter it is only an indication of what you intend to do. There is a facility to cancel the planned activity. You can claim up to 3 points for the development plan either all at once or in bits. So you could look at this as three free points if you are approaching CPD in a prescriptive mannner. However, CPD is not about the number of hours accumulated it is about the actual professional development that is taking place i.e. the output from undertaking an activity. So two people undertaking the same course may actually get a different value as there is also the availabilty to award flexible credits depending on how much value the course was. For one person this might have been a lot (so 3 points) so for another not very much (so 1 point). There is a lot more information about this on the FAQs on this site. Professional Development is no longer a points scoring excercise, the credits of the new scheme are just there to give an indication of how much to score. Hazel Harvey

Posted By Patrick Burns CMIOSH - SpDipEM - MIQA I posted my plan for two years when I first started using the online system. I recently moved companies and therefore need to re-jig my plan. I take Hazel's point about cancelling the task if you don't/can't do it however you have to do one at a time and go right through every page of the one you are cancelling each time. this is very time consuming and certainly off-putting for updating my current plan for more than six months. surely there must be an easier way of letting you delete an item you previously put on the plan but want removed or indicated as cancelled.