New Maintenance of Professional Competence Framework
As the regulator of doctors registered in Ireland, the Medical Council is responsible for protecting the public through ensuring high standards of professional conduct and professional education and competence among doctors. Maintenance of professional competence (MPC) is a key aspect of driving good professional practice, with all doctors registered in Ireland required to maintain their professional competence to keep knowledge and skills up to date.
For the majority of doctors, this entails annual enrolment on a Professional Competence Scheme (PCS) and following annual requirements set by the Medical Council. These annual requirements are defined in the MPC Rules and together with the processes by which doctors record their learning activity with the operator(s) of their PCS, constitute the MPC Framework.
What is the new MPC Framework?
As you may be aware, the MPC Framework will be revised and updated in the coming scheme year, with the introduction of revised MPC Rules on 1 May 2025. The Medical Council has developed a booklet which provides information as to the forthcoming annual requirements which doctors will be required to comply with.
Why is it being introduced?
To ensure its appropriateness for the needs of doctors and patients, as well as alignment with international best practice, the Medical Council regularly considers the MPC Rules and associated processes within the MPC Framework. As the current MPC Framework has been in operation since 2011, engagement and research over the recent years has indicated a need to refresh the MPC Framework to increase its relevance and usefulness for doctors.
A Working Group reviewed the current MPC Framework, as well as similar framework models in other jurisdictions. This review, conducted through a combination of desk-based review and stakeholder engagement, produced a strengthened MPC Framework which incorporates greater emphasis on reflective Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities.
What are the benefits of the new MPC Framework?
The revised MPC Framework will further support doctors in maintaining their professional competence, providing clarity and flexibility for doctors to achieve personal learning objectives, identify emergent developments and trends within research and patient care, as well as maintain awareness of international best practice.
Though the new MPC Framework presents little change to the day-to-day experience of doctors in terms of maintaining professional competence, the Medical Council acknowledges that there may be questions regarding its introduction. Doctors will be invited to submit questions to the Medical Council via an online survey link – the Medical Council will share this link with Training Bodies. These questions will be addressed through an educational video which will be released on the website of the Medical Council in mid-April 2025.
Finally, the Medical Council wishes to thank both doctors and the Postgraduate Training Bodies who operate the schemes for their commitment to ongoing learning and professional development since the initial commencement of the MPC Framework. The Medical Council looks forward to continuing to support doctors’ maintenance of professional competence, which in turn facilitate delivery of high-quality patient care, and ultimately continues to ensure patient safety.