Everything you need to know about being selected for Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
CPD is much wider than formal courses
Many people tend to focus on formal courses, but CPD is any activity from which you learn and develop- not just course attendance. In fact, the more variety you have, the better, as we’re looking for evidence of a range of activities.
There are plenty of ways to meet the CPD standards. If you can provide evidence of e-learning, case discussions or the reading you may have done, that all counts as CPD. We understand that the smallest activities can often have a huge impact on your knowledge, ability and service delivery.
CPD can be as simple as describing a conversation you had with a colleague that may have challenged your thinking, led you to explore the evidence base and may then have led to a change in practice. It’s just as legitimate as attending a conference.
More information on what counts as CPD
It’s about quality, not quantity
CPD is not about the amount of hours you’ve done- it’s about doing different, useful things to improve your practice and making sure you log them. This can be a chat with your team, or reflection on an individual experience with a patient or service user, mentoring sessions, etc.
You don’t have to record your CPD in a specific format
There is no necessary format for recording your CPD, although some professional bodies and employers do have recommendations. You might choose to keep hard copies of documents in a folder, or you might choose to keep a record electronically. What matters most is that you have it somewhere accessible if you are randomly selected.
More info about recording your CPD
The majority of people pass their CPD audit
Most of the professionals on our Register selected for audit demonstrate that their CPD is adequate and up to date. For example, in the 2017-2019 period, out of 1001 occupational therapists who were asked to present their CPD profile, 74.5% (746) were accepted, and only 0.5% were removed from the register.
It’s more flexible than you think
We recognise that, due to unavoidable circumstances, some registrants defer their audit to the next cycle. For example, they may not be able to complete a CPD profile as a result of illness, family or personal circumstances or maternity leave.
To defer, you just need to submit your request via our CPD Online system as soon as possible, giving your reasons for deferring and evidence to support it. Be aware that this means you will be automatically selected for CPD in the next cycle. Find out more about our deferral process here.