MACP e-portfolio platform: Proud to be providing a portfolio route for advanced practice

To meet the ever-changing demands of healthcare, physiotherapists have been moving into advanced roles, often beyond traditional professional scopes of practice for many years. This is fantastic for individuals and for the profession. With the advent of the Multi-Professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice in England and FCP Road Map to Practice (1,2), physiotherapists moving into advanced practice are now able to demonstrate equivalency through a structured university programme or portfolio.

For those looking to demonstrate their competence, the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP) has developed an electronic portfolio portal to support members and non-members in demonstrating their competencies and capabilities whilst providing the quality assurance for professional registration and career development.

Bespoke e-portfolio 

The portal developed by MACP has been designed specifically to support MSK physiotherapy development at all stages of practice. It allows the user to upload evidence against the FCP pathway and IFOMPT (International Federation of Manipulative Physiotherapists) standards 2016 (3) which form the advanced element of the FCP Roadmap and pending MSK standards. 

The IFOMPT standards are internationally recognised and underpin the MACP standards in the UK. The use of the portal to collect and verify evidence can therefore be used to support portfolio routes to MACP membership.

This means, like all good portfolios, you can use one piece of evidence for multiple purposes, allowing ease of triangulation of evidence across the four pillars of (advanced) practice.

The platform is fully optimised for use on mobiles, meaning individuals are able to capture learning and development activities in real time and on a regular basis.

What evidence can I upload?

Examples include:

• MSc/diploma/course modules certificate and course transcripts, module learning outcomes.
• Case studies, reflections from anonymised patients, reflections/presentations from service training, presentation of a case analysis, problem-based learning.
• Anonymised clinical letters, onward referrals.
• Primary Research, audit, publications, critique of an article, journal club reflections, developing guidelines/pathways.
• Peer review feedback  on watched assessments, mentored practice, supervising peers.
• Feedback and reflection from teaching, teaching experience.

Can I share my portfolio with supervisors/managers?

One of the key advantages of this portal is the ease with which you can share your portfolio either with your manager or supervisor.

Any CPD entry uploaded can be sent to an allocated supervisor for verification. This allows the portfolio to be used for any number of different activities including staff appraisal, quality assurance of standards of practice in staff training, education and development for both FCP services and for staff members on the development pathway to advanced practice.

The e-portal has the added functionality that you can share on a read only basis with the CSP and HCPC, enhancing the process of evidencing ongoing development and maintenance of professional activity. 

How do I access the MACP e-Portfolio platform?

The portal is part of any membership category which includes affiliate levels. As such it is open to all physiotherapists with an interest in MSK. 

MACP introduced this level of membership last year to encourage a greater community of practice. As well as full access to the electronic CPD portal, a number of other benefits are available – CPD and research bursaries as well as reduced fees for courses are also offered. MACP have also recently introduced educational partnerships to further support the building of portfolios and competencies. The Physio Matters podcast team is the first partnership whose extensive library is mapped against the FCP/IFOMPT standards to support those building that knowledge against the requirements. 

For more information please contact 

• Dr Neil Langridge: vice chair/education lead MACP, director of Clinical and Rehabilitation Services at AECC University College.
• Helen Welch: chair MACP, consultant physiotherapist at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
• Claire Small: vice chair/treasurer MACP, chief clinical officer at Pure Sport Medicine.
• Gethin Lynch: digital officer MACP, MSK consultant physiotherapist at Royal Devon University NHS Foundation Trust.
• Using the following contact us link.