Continuing professional development: DipIMC practice questions

PHEM curriculum unit C.2 · Cross-cutting theme C: Clinical Governance

The DipIMC is blueprinted against phase 1 of the UK Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) curriculum. This page covers unit C.2, Manage and support continuous professional development.

Below are 2 free practice questions from the DipIMC.Ninja bank, in the Part A single best answer format. Every answer names the textbook page, guideline or statute it was written from, so you can check it rather than take it on trust. The bank holds 5 questions on this unit.

Question 1 · Law, Ethics & Human Factors · Easy

A paramedic renewing their HCPC registration is notified that they have been selected for a continuing professional development (CPD) audit. Which statement about the HCPC's continuing professional development requirements is correct?

AEvery registrant sends a written CPD profile to the HCPC at each renewal, audited or not
BA random sample of each profession is audited at renewal; those chosen submit a profile
CA set minimum of hours of HCPC-approved courses a year, logged on the HCPC online portal
DOnly registrants with a fitness-to-practise concern in the last cycle are audited
ESelected registrants pass the audit by sending their employer's training record alone

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Answer: B

A random sample of each profession is audited at renewal; those chosen submit a profile

The HCPC audits a random sample of each profession at every renewal. Only a registrant selected for audit submits a profile, and HCPC CPD standard 5 requires it to be a written profile, the registrant's own work and supported by evidence, explaining how the CPD standards have been met. Selection is random, not linked to fitness-to-practise history. The standards are outcome-based: the HCPC does not set a number of hours or points and does not approve or endorse CPD activities. The standards require a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record, a mixture of learning activities, and CPD that has contributed to the quality of practice and benefits service users — which an employer's mandatory training record on its own does not show. Standard 3.4 of the HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (2024) separately requires registrants to keep their knowledge and skills up to date through CPD. The Oxford Handbook records paramedic renewal as every second year, on 31 August, by declaration; learn the audit mechanism rather than a percentage.

Where this comes from

HCPC — Our CPD requirements (standards for CPD)Health and Care Professions Council·Meeting the CPD standards: audit“We audit a random sample of each profession at every renewal”Open at this section
HCPC — Our CPD requirements (standards for CPD)Health and Care Professions Council·Standard 5: written profile“present a written profile (which must be their own work and supported by evidence)”Open at this section
HCPC — Our CPD requirements (standards for CPD)Health and Care Professions Council·A flexible approach based on outcomes“We do not set a number of hours or points”Open at this section
HCPC — Our CPD requirements (standards for CPD)Health and Care Professions Council·Standard 2: mixture of learning activities“Demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities”Open at this section
HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethicsHealth and Care Professions Council, effective 1 September 2024·Standard 3.4: keep knowledge and skills up to date“keep your knowledge and skills up to date and relevant to your”Open PDF at page 13
Oxford Handbook of Pre-Hospital Carep. 15Ch. 1 An approach to pre-hospital care · Appraisal (revalidation of doctors, nurses and paramedics)“Paramedics revalidate every second year, on 31 August, by declaration.”

law-083 · Law, Ethics & Human Factors · Clinical Governance · Easy · v3

Question 2 · Law, Ethics & Human Factors · Moderate

A general practitioner who responds for a BASICS scheme in their own time asks whether their pre-hospital work needs to feature in GMC revalidation. Which statement about revalidation is correct?

AFive-yearly recommendation by a responsible officer, informed by annual appraisal
BAn annual professional development log submitted to and reviewed by the GMC
CAppraisal of paid NHS posts only, with unpaid BASICS work falling outside it
DA three-yearly GMC knowledge examination, passed before the licence is renewed
EA requirement only for doctors on an NHS contract, not for charity or volunteer work

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Answer: A

Five-yearly recommendation by a responsible officer, informed by annual appraisal

The GMC describes revalidation as a cycle in which, every year, doctors review and discuss their work with a trained appraiser, and every five years the responsible officer tells the GMC whether the doctor is keeping up to date and giving good care. There is no GMC examination and the doctor does not send a professional development log to the GMC for assessment. The Oxford Handbook is explicit that doctors who undertake pre-hospital care on a regular basis are required by the GMC to undertake annual appraisal of their pre-hospital practice in exactly the same manner as for hospital practice, so the BASICS work belongs in the appraisal even though it is voluntary and unpaid, and the requirement does not depend on holding an NHS contract. For comparison, the Handbook describes a three-year revalidation cycle with a portfolio for nurses, and paramedics revalidating every second year by declaration.

Where this comes from

GMC — What is revalidation?General Medical Council·Annual appraisal“Every year, doctors review and discuss their work with a specially trained doctor”Open at this sentence
GMC — What is revalidation?General Medical Council·Five-yearly responsible officer recommendation“Every five years, the responsible officer tells us whether the doctor”Open at this sentence
Oxford Handbook of Pre-Hospital Care
- Ch. 1 An approach to pre-hospital care · Appraisal · p. 15“required by the GMC to undertake annual appraisal with regard to their pre-hospital practice”
- Ch. 1 An approach to pre-hospital care · Appraisal · p. 15“Nurses undertake a three-year revalidation cycle”

law-084 · Law, Ethics & Human Factors · Clinical Governance · Moderate · v3

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Continuing professional development: DipIMC practice questions

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