The concept for SimpleCPD came from Ōtautahi Christchurch anaesthetist Dr Christian Brett who, in his role as Educational Supervisor to junior doctors starting out their careers at Christchurch Hospital, became aware of how dated the manual and paper-based process of recording CPD activities were.
After extensive research, Dr Brett found that there was currently no digital solution to meet the requirements. From here the idea for an app was conceived, allowing professionals to better capture the local education and training events attended and at the same time reducing the administrative burden for those running teaching and training programmes.
Having designed the system and the workflows, and with a select group in Christchurch already using QR codes to scan into events, Dr Brett approached the New Zealand Health Innovation Hub with his product idea.
New Zealand Health Innovation Hub (NZHIH) is a Te Whatu Ora – Health NewZealand entity which is responsible for the commercialisation of innovative products or services to improve health outcomes. After hearing the idea for SimpleCPD, NZHIH selected Ōtautahi Christchurch-based health tech company Webtools to develop the product with Dr Brett.
With proven delivery of innovative technology solutions for the health sector, Webtools was able to rapidly develop and deploy the SimpleCPD app in just two months. SimpleCPD is currently being used for medical professional development, with the potential to expand into other sectors outside of health.
Dr Christian Brett BMedSc MB ChB(Otago) FANZCA
Dr Christian Brett is a Consultant Anaesthetist at Te Whatu Ora –Waitaha Canterbury, Educational Supervisor for the Medical Council of New Zealand, a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Otago Medical School, an ANZCA Examiner, and also founder of SimpleCPD learning record.
Webtools
Webtools builds and scales frictionless digital solutions which solve problems and drive change. Collaboration is at the core of what they do and they love to innovate with partners from a range of sectors, including many in health. In 2022, Webtools launched their Centrik platform to improve how health information is accessed and shared, and drive better health outcomes for patients. Webtools is also the team behind the Āwhina app, a tool delivered with Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand for healthcare workers to stay up-to-date.
New Zealand Health Innovation Hub (NZHIH)
The New Zealand Health Innovation Hub (NZHIH) helps to develop, accelerate and scale national health innovations for the benefit of everyone in Aotearoa (and potentially also overseas). NZHIH provide advice on how to bring a product or service innovation to reality and can also give funding advice. NZHIH is the only Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand approved funding vehicle for the commercialisation of innovations that improve health outcomes, and which originate from the public health system.