Review of Individual Continuing Competence plans

Step 1  Random Selection of Occupational Therapists

Each year, approximately 20% of registered occupational therapists are randomly selected for a review of their personal continuing competence plan. Occupational therapists who are designated for more frequent review, due to concerns during a past competence review, are also added to the selected pool each year.

Step 2   Selection and Training of Peer Reviewers

Reviewers are selected based on excellence in their personal competence plan submissions as identified by reviewers in previous review cycles. Where possible, the reviewers are chosen to represent a broad range of practice expertise, knowledge and expertise of specific professional roles, for geographical representation, and a good balance between urban and rural practice.

New reviewers are trained each year by selected members of the Competence Committee. The training program includes review and discussion of the philosophy and objectives of the continuing competence program as well as practice with trial reviews using sample competence plans. Upon completion of training, the extent to which the reviewers agree on ratings of sample competence plans (inter-rater reliability) is measured.  The standard set for successful training is 90% or greater.  

Step 3  Review of Materials for Completeness

Current practice requires occupational therapists to submit the following specified materials: self-assessments from the preceding year and learning goals and activity logs from the preceding two years.  Occupational therapists are required to keep their records for five years. When received by the College, each individual plan is checked for completeness and screened to ensure all personally identifying information is removed prior to review. The College contacts occupational therapists who have submitted incomplete materials.

Concurrent to the review of completeness, a screen of the appropriateness of the goals and activities is also completed. 


Step 4  Review of Continuing Competence Plan

Reviewers are blind to the identity of the occupational therapists under review.  In an additional step to preserve anonymity of the selected occupational therapists, the College distributes continuing competence plans to reviewers from geographically different areas than the selected therapists. With each individual plan, the reviewer is provided with the anonymous occupational therapists’ general area of practice, job status (full time, part-time, casual, on leave), and experience category.

Each continuing competence plan is reviewed for clear evidence of:

  1. the appropriateness of the goals and activities related to occupational therapy practice in general and the therapist’s practice specifically,

  2. the relevance of the activities to the goal(s),

  3. the variety and quality of activities, and

  4. hours that are appropriate to reach the goal(s).

When the review is complete, the reviewer makes a recommendation to the Competence Committee of either: 

  1. achievement of exceptional review,

  2. achievement of satisfactory review, or

  3. achievement of unsatisfactory review

If the review of a submission indicates an unsatisfactory competence plan, the Chair of the Competence Committee or the Associate Registrar independently reviews the materials, blind to the rationale of the original reviewer. Findings are then discussed with the reviewer and a decision reached which is forwarded to the Competence Committee for final approval. All reviews are completed by mid-November.


Step 5  Competence Committee Determines Outcome of Each Review

By the end of November each year, the Competence Committee determines the outcome of each review by accepting the recommendation of the reviewers or deciding on an alternate option. A spectrum of outcomes for occupational therapists with unsatisfactory reviews includes:

  1. a review of their continuing competence plan again in next review cycle

  2. an initial mentoring meeting to discuss their continuing competence plan with the Associate Registrar or a designate of the Competence Committee

  3. a practice visit as outlined in the Health Professions Act

Subsequent actions following an initial mentoring meeting or a practice visit may include:

  1. a practice visit (following initial mentoring meeting only)

  2. a review of their continuing competence plan again in the next review cycle

  3. a meeting(s) to establish a mentorship relationship and plan

  4. no further action

If the finding of a practice visit reveals concerns regarding unskilled practice or professional misconduct, a formal letter is submitted from the Competence Committee Chair to the College Registrar.

Occupational therapists with exceptional continuing competence plans are invited to become mentors and reviewers for other occupational therapists. 

 
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