What Is CPD for Healthcare Professionals?
CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It is the ongoing learning and development that healthcare professionals undertake throughout their career to maintain, improve, and broaden their knowledge and skills. CPD is now mandatory for approximately 1.5 million individuals registered to work under 32 regulated professional titles in the UK.
CPD is not limited to attending formal training courses. It encompasses any activity that develops your professional practice, including reading journals, attending conferences, completing online courses, participating in peer discussions, reflecting on clinical experiences, undertaking audit or research, and learning from feedback. What matters is that the activity is relevant to your practice and that you can demonstrate what you learned and how it improved your work.
Healthcare professionals who engage in meaningful CPD are better equipped to provide safe, effective care, adapt to changes in their field, and navigate regulatory challenges. If you are ever referred to your regulator, a strong CPD portfolio demonstrates that you take your professional obligations seriously — and that can make a significant difference to the outcome.
CPD Requirements by Regulator
Each UK healthcare regulator has its own CPD requirements. Understanding what your specific regulator expects is essential. Here is a summary of the main requirements across the major regulators.
Doctors must complete 50 hours of CPD per year as part of their five-year revalidation cycle, totalling at least 250 hours over the cycle. CPD should be relevant to your scope of practice and must include a mix of activities. You are expected to reflect on your CPD and discuss it at your annual appraisal. Your CPD evidence forms part of your revalidation portfolio, which is assessed by your responsible officer. Read our guide on Good Medical Practice 2024 to understand the standards your CPD should align with.
Nurses and midwives need 35 hours of CPD over their three-year revalidation period. At least 20 of those hours must be participatory learning — learning that involves interaction with other professionals. You also need five written reflective accounts and a reflective discussion with another NMC registrant. Our detailed NMC revalidation guide covers the full process.
Dentists must complete 100 hours of CPD over a five-year cycle, with at least 75 hours of verifiable CPD. Dental care professionals (hygienists, therapists, dental nurses, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, and orthodontic therapists) must complete 50 hours over the same period. All CPD must be relevant to your individual practice.
The GPhC requires pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to record CPD annually. While there is no fixed minimum number of hours, you must demonstrate that your CPD is relevant to your practice and that you have reflected on what you learned. The GPhC reviews CPD records annually and may ask you to submit your records for review at any time.
The HCPC does not set a minimum number of CPD hours. Instead, it requires registrants to maintain a continuous, up-to-date record of their CPD activities, demonstrate a mixture of learning activities, ensure that CPD is relevant to their practice, and show that it has contributed to the quality of their work. The HCPC audits a random sample of registrants at each renewal cycle. If audited, you must provide evidence of your CPD. Our guide on HCPC professionalism explains the standards your CPD should address.
The GOC requires optometrists and dispensing opticians to complete specified CPD points annually. The GCC requires chiropractors to complete 30 hours of CPD per year. The GOsC requires osteopaths to complete 90 hours of CPD over a three-year cycle, with at least 45 hours involving learning with others.
How to Choose the Right CPD Courses
Not all CPD is created equal. The most effective CPD for healthcare professionals is targeted, relevant, and provides genuine learning that you can apply to your practice. Here is how to choose well.
- Match CPD to your scope of practice — your regulator expects your CPD to be relevant to the work you actually do. Choose courses that address the knowledge and skills you use in your daily role
- Address identified gaps — use your appraisal, feedback from colleagues, or your own self-reflection to identify areas where your knowledge or skills could be strengthened. Target your CPD at those gaps
- Look for accredited providers — CPD from accredited providers carries more weight with regulators. Check that the provider is certified by a recognised accreditation body such as the CPD Certification Service
- Choose courses that support reflection — the best CPD gives you material to reflect on. If you need to write reflective accounts (as NMC registrants do), choose courses that provide rich content you can meaningfully engage with
- Think strategically if under investigation — if you are facing a regulatory investigation, choose CPD that directly addresses the concerns in your case. Courses in ethics, probity, professionalism, and duty of candour demonstrate engagement with the professional standards at the heart of most fitness to practise concerns
- Consider the Bulk Buy option — if you need to complete multiple courses for your remediation portfolio or want to build a comprehensive CPD block for your appraisal cycle, our Bulk Buy offer (any 10 courses for £500) provides significant savings
The healthcare professionals who get the most from CPD are those who approach it as an investment in their career, not just a requirement to satisfy their regulator. Every course you complete, every reflection you write, and every certificate you earn is a building block in a professional portfolio that protects you and demonstrates your commitment to excellence.
CPD as Remediation Evidence
One of the most important functions of CPD for healthcare professionals is its role as remediation evidence in fitness to practise proceedings. If you are under investigation by any UK healthcare regulator, the steps you take to address the concerns in your case are critically important. Completing relevant CPD courses demonstrates several things to a case examiner or tribunal panel:
- Insight — it shows that you recognise there was a problem and have taken steps to understand why it happened
- Engagement — it demonstrates that you are actively engaged with the professional standards rather than passively waiting for the investigation to conclude
- Remediation — it provides tangible evidence that you have addressed the gaps in your knowledge or understanding that contributed to the concerns
- Reduced risk — it helps the regulator assess whether the risk of repetition is low, which is one of the key factors in determining whether your fitness to practise is currently impaired
Our courses are designed with this dual purpose in mind. They satisfy your ongoing CPD obligations while simultaneously building the remediation evidence that can influence the outcome of a fitness to practise case. Every certificate you earn is a documented piece of evidence that you can present to your regulator.
CPD Courses for All Healthcare Professionals
CPD-Certified Courses for Healthcare Professionals
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Browse All Courses →Frequently Asked Questions
What is CPD for healthcare professionals?
CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It is the ongoing learning and development that healthcare professionals undertake throughout their career to maintain, improve, and broaden their knowledge and skills. CPD is mandatory for all regulated healthcare professionals in the UK, including doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.
How many CPD hours do healthcare professionals need?
CPD hours vary by regulator. Doctors (GMC) need 50 hours per year. Nurses (NMC) need 35 hours over 3 years, with 20 participatory. Dentists (GDC) need 100 hours over 5 years. Pharmacists (GPhC) must record CPD annually with no set hours. The HCPC does not set a minimum but audits registrants randomly.
Do your CPD courses count towards my regulator's requirements?
Yes. All our courses are certified by the CPD Certification Service and provide verifiable certificates on completion. These certificates are accepted as CPD evidence by the GMC, NMC, GDC, GPhC, HCPC, GOC, GCC, and GOsC. Each course covers ethics, professionalism, or probity topics directly relevant to the professional standards of all UK healthcare regulators.
Which CPD course should I take if I am under investigation?
The most relevant courses depend on the nature of the concern. For dishonesty or probity issues, take the Probity for Healthcare Professionals course. For clinical conduct concerns, take Ethics and Ethical Standards for your profession. For documentation issues, take Professionalism in Documentation. Our Bulk Buy offer (10 courses for £500) allows you to build a comprehensive remediation portfolio.
Can I use CPD certificates as evidence in a fitness to practise case?
Yes. CPD certificates from accredited providers are accepted as remediation evidence in fitness to practise proceedings across all UK healthcare regulators. Completing relevant CPD courses demonstrates insight, engagement with professional standards, and a commitment to improving your practice. Panels and case examiners view proactive CPD positively.
How long does each CPD course take to complete?
Most of our CPD courses take between 2 and 4 hours to complete. They are 100% online, self-paced, and available 24/7, so you can study at a time that suits you. You receive your CPD certificate instantly on completion.
Do I get a certificate immediately after completing a course?
Yes. You receive a verifiable CPD certificate instantly on completion of every course. The certificate includes the course title, your name, the date of completion, the CPD hours awarded, and confirmation of CPD Certification Service accreditation. You can download it immediately and use it for revalidation, appraisal, or fitness to practise evidence.
What is the difference between CPD and remediation?
CPD is ongoing professional development that all healthcare professionals must undertake to maintain their registration. Remediation is the specific process of addressing identified concerns about your practice, usually in the context of a regulatory investigation. CPD courses can serve both purposes — they count towards your CPD requirements while also providing evidence of remediation if you are under investigation.
Can I buy multiple CPD courses at a discounted price?
Yes. Our Bulk Buy offer allows you to purchase any 10 courses for £500, which represents a significant saving compared to buying courses individually. This is particularly popular with healthcare professionals building a remediation portfolio or those who want to complete a comprehensive block of CPD for their revalidation or appraisal cycle.
Is CPD mandatory for all healthcare professionals in the UK?
Yes. CPD is mandatory for all regulated healthcare professionals in the UK. There are approximately 1.5 million individuals registered under 32 regulated professional titles, and every one of them is required to undertake CPD as a condition of maintaining their registration.
What happens if I do not complete my CPD?
If you do not complete your CPD requirements, your registration may lapse or be subject to conditions. Some regulators conduct random audits and if you cannot demonstrate compliance, you may face restrictions on your practice or be referred for investigation. For NMC registrants, failure to revalidate means your registration lapses and you cannot practise.
Are your courses accepted by the GMC for appraisal and revalidation?
Yes. Our CPD-certified courses are accepted as supporting evidence for GMC appraisal and revalidation. Each course provides a verifiable certificate from a CPD Certification Service member. Doctors can include the certificates in their appraisal portfolio alongside reflective accounts demonstrating how the learning has been applied to practice.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional regulatory advice. For specific questions about your CPD requirements, contact your regulator directly or seek advice from your professional body.