Membership Guidance HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR MEMBERSHIP Membership of Addiction Professionals identifies to the public and organisations that you adhere to Standards of Conduct and Ethics, evidencing commitment to good quality practice. All members are allowed to use the Addiction Professionals logo on business cards, letterheads and online profiles. More information CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Continuing professional development (CPD) is the term used to describe learning activities practitioners engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. It aims to make learning a conscious and proactive process, rather than passive and reactive. CPD is any learning experience that can be used for maintaining and improving competence, knowledge and skills to ensure that practitioners have the ability to practise safely, effectively and legally within their scope of practice. CPD is an ongoing process of assessment, planning, action and evaluation. Although assessment is often the starting-point, learning can occur at other points in the process, and can also be recorded as CPD. More Information FITNESS TO PRACTISE GUIDANCE Fitness to practise is a measure of health and wellbeing as it relates to an individual’s work as a practitioner. Someone who is fit to practise is healthy enough to provide safe, competent and ethical care in their work. A practitioner’s fitness to practise may be affected by their physical or mental health, or other circumstances that prevent them from offering a safe, ethical or effective service to their clients. Fitness to practise is not just about professional performance, but also actions which may damage public confidence in the profession. This may include conduct that takes place outside of the workplace, such as acts resulting in criminal investigations. More information SAFEGUARDING ADULTS It is important for people working in the health and social care sector to be aware of safeguarding adults. The Care Act (2014) gives a legal framework for safeguarding adults. Other important legislation on safeguarding includes: Equality Act 2010 Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act SVGA (2006) The Human Rights Act 1998 The Mental Capacity Act 2005 Organisations involved in the caring sector should have policies and procedures on safeguarding adults. More information