Development of continuing professional development standards for Allied Healthcare Professionals in Pakistan

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Professional Development
• Allied Health Sciences

Background:

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is crucial for allied health professionals (AHP) to maintain and enhance skills.
• Developing context-specific CPD standards is essential for improving healthcare quality in Pakistan.
• Existing CPD frameworks may not fully address the unique challenges faced by AHPs in Pakistan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Pakistani health professionals' perceptions on developing CPD standards for AHPs.
• To establish evidence-based CPD standards tailored for allied health professionals in Pakistan.
• To align proposed CPD standards with international benchmarks like WFME.

Main Methods:

• A three-round Delphi study involving semi-structured interviews and iterative questionnaires.
• Expert opinions were gathered and validated to identify core competencies, barriers, and solutions for CPD.
• The process involved expert consensus and alignment with World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) standards.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged: CPD standards, competency development, barriers, interprofessional education, AHPs, and assessment.
• Twenty-six proposed CPD standards were generated, demonstrating high consensus among experts.
• Key qualities identified included clinical experience and communication skills; time and budget were noted barriers.

Conclusions:

• The developed CPD standards are contextually relevant for AHPs in Pakistan, considering local needs.
• Implementation requires collaboration, evidence-based practices, and ongoing research to improve patient care.
• The proposed standards aim to foster professional growth and enhance the quality of allied health services.