HCPC · CPD Evidence Guide
HCPC CPD Evidence: What Counts for Allied Health Professionals
Every HCPC-registered professional must be ready to prove their learning, and the quality of your HCPC CPD evidence decides whether an audit is routine or stressful. HCPC CPD evidence is the record, and the supporting proof, showing that your continuing professional development is up to date and benefits the people you serve.
This guide explains what counts as HCPC CPD evidence, how the audit process works, how to record your learning, and why weak HCPC CPD evidence can sometimes become a wider regulatory concern for allied health professionals.
Key Takeaways
- The HCPC sets no minimum number of hours, so what matters is varied, relevant learning that improves your practice.
- Good HCPC CPD evidence includes at least two different types of learning, a continuous record and proof of benefit to service users.
- The HCPC randomly selects 2.5% of each profession at renewal to submit a CPD profile, so HCPC CPD evidence should always be audit-ready.
- Strong evidence is specific rather than comprehensive, and every profile must be your own work.
- Reflection and certified learning make your record far easier to defend in an audit or a fitness to practise process.
In short: HCPC CPD evidence explained for allied health professionals: what counts, how to record it and how the audit works. Learn how to build yours well today.
What counts as HCPC CPD evidence?
The HCPC says CPD is not just formal courses: any activity from which you learn or develop professionally can count, provided it complements your practice and benefits service users. The HCPC's own guide to activities that count as CPD groups HCPC CPD evidence into four categories.
The table below shows each category with examples of HCPC CPD evidence drawn from the HCPC's guidance.
| Category | Examples | Typical HCPC CPD evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Work-based learning | Reflective practice, peer review, in-service training | Reflective notes, supervision records |
| Professional activity | Teaching, mentoring, presenting at conferences | Programmes, feedback, attendance records |
| Formal education | Courses, seminars, online learning | CPD certificates and course outlines |
| Self-directed learning | Reading journals and articles | Summaries of what you learnt and applied |
What is the HCPC CPD audit process?
The HCPC CPD audit process checks that registrants are meeting the standards for CPD. The HCPC explains each stage in its guide to the CPD audit process, and the main points are below.
- Renewal: at each two-yearly renewal you sign a declaration that you continue to meet the HCPC's standards, including CPD.
- Selection: the HCPC randomly selects 2.5% of each profession, and will only audit registrants who have been registered for two years or more.
- Profile: if selected, you submit a CPD profile with a summary of your practice, a statement of how you met the standards and supporting evidence.
- Assessment: assessors review the profile and decide whether the standards have been met fully, partially or not at all.
- Repeat selection: because CPD is ongoing, a registrant can be selected on more than one occasion.
How do I record my CPD for the HCPC?
The HCPC says your CPD record is personal and can be kept in whatever way is most convenient, as set out in its guidance on how to record your CPD. What matters is that the record is continuous, up to date and accurate, because that is the first standard for CPD.
For each activity, strong HCPC CPD evidence usually records the following:
- The date and type of activity
- What you learnt and how it improved your practice
- How it benefited service users
- Supporting proof, such as a certificate, feedback or reflective notes
If you are audited, the HCPC will not ask for everything you have recorded, only details of the activities from the past two years and evidence to support them.
Allied health professionals who need clear, certified HCPC CPD evidence of insight and learning can work through courses written specifically for HCPC-regulated professionals, so their record shows reflection tied to the HCPC standards.
How to present strong HCPC CPD evidence in a profile
A good profile tells a clear story from activity to improved practice. Aim for HCPC CPD evidence that is specific rather than comprehensive, and choose the items that best show how you met each standard, rather than sending everything you hold.
Reflection is what turns a list of activities into persuasive proof. For each item, say what prompted the learning, what you took from it and what you now do differently with service users, colleagues or your own scope of practice. Short, honest reflections written close to the time are far more convincing than long summaries written under pressure when an audit letter arrives.
Explain any gaps of three months or more in your record, and make sure the profile is entirely your own work. If the HCPC suspects a profile includes plagiarised material, it can stop the assessment and investigate under its fitness to practise process, so weak or copied HCPC CPD evidence can turn an audit into a wider concern. Our guide to the HCPC fitness to practise stages explains how that process works.
For registrants who want certified learning in professional standards to sit alongside their reflections, our ethics course for HCPC-regulated health and care professionals is built around the HCPC's expectations of conduct and ethics.
Employers and services supporting several colleagues to build HCPC CPD evidence can review our bulk-buy offer for group access.
Conclusion
HCPC CPD evidence is about showing, not just claiming, that your learning keeps you safe and effective. Varied activities, a continuous record, reflection on what changed in your practice and proof of benefit to service users will carry you through any audit. Start recording today, and keep your HCPC CPD evidence audit-ready between renewals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which course should I take for an HCPC complaint or investigation?
Match the course to the allegation — Which course do I need? lists them by concern; for HCPC registrants, the HCPC ethics and HCPC professionalism courses follow the HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
Will a course help my HCPC investigation?
A course is evidence of insight and remediation, which the HCPC case examiners or Investigating Committee look for — strongest with a written reflection and changes in your practice. No course can guarantee an outcome.
When should I send the certificate and reflection to the HCPC?
With your written response, before the HCPC case examiners or Investigating Committee decide — or before an HCPC final hearing or a review if the case has gone further.
Can I finish the course before my deadline, and is it CPD accredited?
Yes — it is online and self-paced with a certificate on completion, and CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service, counting towards your HCPC CPD record.
What is the fitness to practise process?
The HCPC fitness to practise process starts when a concern is received and assessed against a threshold. If it is met, an Investigating Committee Panel decides whether there is a case to answer. Serious cases go to a final hearing, where sanctions range from a caution to striking off.
Does mandatory training count as CPD?
It can. The HCPC says any activity from which you learn professionally can count, and lists in-service training as an example. Record what you learnt and how it improved your practice, and remember your HCPC CPD evidence must include at least two different types of learning.
Are there minimum CPD hours for the HCPC?
No. The HCPC says CPD is not about the number of hours you have done but about doing varied, useful activities that improve your practice and logging them. Your record should show quality, relevance and benefit to service users.
How many HCPC registrants are audited?
The HCPC randomly selects 2.5% of each profession at renewal. Only registrants who have been registered for two years or more are audited, and selection is computer-generated, so some registrants may be chosen more than once.
What types of learning count as HCPC CPD evidence?
Work-based learning, professional activity, formal education and self-directed learning all count. The HCPC requires a mixture, so you need at least two different types. A record made up only of reading journals, for example, would not meet the standard.
This guide is for general information and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, contact a specialist regulatory solicitor or your medical defence organisation.
The CPD courses linked from this guide, How to Deal with a Complaint or Investigation, Module on Insight, Professionalism and Professional Standards for HCPC Regulated Health & Care Professionals and Ethics and Ethical Standards for HCPC Regulated Health & Care Professionals, are by Probity & Ethics, written by Dr Shehzad Iqbal, CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service (provider no. 13197) and offered since 2020.
