A study of the evolution of mandated continuing professional development for diagnostic radiographers in the Republic of Ireland

The simultaneous introduction of state registration and mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) for diagnostic radiographers in the Republic of Ireland commenced in October 2015, as mandated by the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (amended) and the establishment of CORU, the state registration body for health and social care professionals. The motivation for this study was to contribute to the evidence base around mandatory CPD and to identify barriers that could be challenged to improve radiographers' engagement with CPD. The research was undertaken in three phases. During Phase 1, as the focus of this research was to ascertain the opinions of radiographers before and after the introduction of mandatory CPD, two national surveys were undertaken - one before the radiographer’s register went live and the second after the register had been active for three years. For Phase 2, a further national survey of radiographers was undertaken to understand the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on aspects of CPD immediately after the acute phase of the pandemic had ended. During Phase 3, opinions on the future direction for radiographer CPD were captured in the summer of 2022 through radiographer grade-specific focus groups. For Phase 1 and 2 surveys, responses were received across age and grade ranges with response rates in keeping with previous research. The overall importance with which radiographers held CPD decreased over time, with those who considered CPD to be “important/very important/critical” decreasing from 78.6% in Survey 1 to 69.8% in Survey 3. While small changes were seen, the narrow focus of what radiographers considered CPD stayed the same, with attendance-based activities remaining the most popular. Over half of participants indicated that their enthusiasm for undertaking CPD had decreased through the pandemic (54.6%), while the willingness of participants to undertake CPD outside of working hours was also seen to decrease from 57.7% in Survey 1 to 46.6% in Survey 3. Across surveys, the perceived primary barrier to CPD was seen to shift from funding to time. Reflexive thematic analysis of focus group data generated four themes; 'Impact of Time and Service Provision on CPD', 'Leadership, Structure and Support', 'Expectation and Understanding of CPD requirements' and 'Radiographer CPD in the Future'.
An appetite to undertake CPD amongst the majority of diagnostic radiographers working in the Republic of Ireland is evident; however, addressing issues such as decreasing importance levels and willingness to use personal time for CPD is crucial. While the perceived cost of CPD has lessened as a barrier, lack of time for CPD is now a principal concern.
Using a mixed-method approach, this thesis describes the changing opinions of radiographers towards CPD over an 8-year period and provides insight into how CPD for the profession of radiography in Ireland can be enhanced. Findings highlight the need for collaborative engagement, leadership, clarity, and support to optimise CPD opportunities for all radiographers in the future.