CPD claims open in Scotland

A digital application for Scottish practitioners claiming continuing professional development (CPD) allowance for education undertaken in 2021 has now opened.

A memorandum from the Directorate of Primary care for the Scottish Government confirmed that optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners can claim the allowance for appropriate CPD taken during the 2021 claims period of 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021 inclusive.

Claims can be submitted to Practitioner and Counter Fraud Services (P&CFS) online and must be in by midnight Wednesday 30 November 2022.

Optometrists who were on an NHS Board’s Ophthalmic List for at least six months during 2021, and who have maintained their registration with the General Optical Council (GOC) are eligible for the standard allowance.

Ophthalmic medical practitioners whose only remunerated medical or optical activity in 2021 was General Ophthalmic Services, who were on the Ophthalmic List of an NHS Board for at least six months during 2021, and have maintained their registration with the General Medical Council, are also eligible.

A higher allowance is available for independent prescriber CPD carried out in 2021 by optometrists who were registered as an independent prescriber in that period, were included on the Ophthalmic List and registered with a host Board as an independent prescriber for at least six months during 2021, and have maintained their registration with the GOC.

The allowance amounts are to be confirmed separately in due course, the memorandum said.

A separate claim must be made for each eligible person. The memorandum notes that only one claim may be paid in respect of any one person for appropriate CPD they have undertaken in the claim period.

Optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners are not required to produce evidence of having undertaken CPD as part of the claim or a pre-condition to payment. However, the memorandum noted that a claim may only be paid in respect of an optometrist or practitioner who has maintained their professional registration, and P&CFS may carry out sampling to confirm registration pre or post-payment.