What is CPD?
CPD is crucial for you as a professional, to stay up to date, competent and succeed in your field. This includes attending training programs and events, reading, engaging with mentors, and networking.
It helps you stay up-to-date with the latest developments in your field and improve performance, ensuring the highest standard of work and better outcomes for your clients.
Continuous updating and refining of your skills helps you stay ahead of the curve and remain a leader in your field.
Do I have to do CPD?
CPD may be mandatory or voluntary depending on your profession and regulatory body. However, engaging in ongoing professional development is recommended to maintain and improve your skills, knowledge, and competencies.
This can benefit your career advancement, job satisfaction, and overall professional growth. Staying up to date with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in your field can increase your effectiveness, efficiency, credibility, reputation and expand your professioanl career opportunities.
What types of CPD are there?
- Formal CPD: This includes structured learning activities, such as attending conferences, workshops, seminars, courses, and online training programs.
- Informal CPD: This includes self-directed learning activities, such as reading books, journals, and articles, conducting research, and participating in online discussions and webinars.
- Reflective CPD: This involves reflecting on one’s professional practice, identifying areas for improvement, and taking action to address them. This can be done through self-reflection, peer review, and feedback from clients or colleagues.
- Experiential CPD: This involves learning from real-life experiences, such as taking on new projects, working with different clients or teams, and participating in mentoring or coaching programs.
- Collaborative CPD: This involves working with other professionals, such as participating in communities of practice, peer learning groups, and professional networks.
- Accredited CPD: This involves participating in CPD activities that are accredited or recognised by professional bodies or associations, which can help demonstrate one’s competence and expertise in their field.
[cs_content][cs_section bg_image="https://thecpdgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/massage11-parralax.png" parallax="true" separator_top_type="none" separator_top_height="50px" separator_top_angle_point="50" separator_bottom_type="none" separator_bottom_height="50px" separator_bottom_angle_point="50" style="margin: 0px;padding: 15px 0px 5px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][x_blockquote cite="British Acupuncture Council" type="center"]“Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to learning that occurs throughout your professional life, is planned and recorded, supports you in your work and development as a practitioner and also benefits the care of your patients.” [/x_blockquote][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax="false" separator_top_type="none" separator_top_height="50px" separator_top_angle_point="50" separator_bottom_type="none" separator_bottom_height="50px" separator_bottom_angle_point="50" style="margin: 0px;padding: 5px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]Most of us as practitioners already undertake many CPD activities, however many have not yet developed the regular structured habit of recording these activities routinely. We regularly look up a patients medical conditions, chatting with fellow health professionals, it happens continually in our regular working lives, but we don't perhaps learn as we could from them.
We should view CPD as a system to encourage and foster a culture of continuing personal and professional development within our professions, and any CPD that we undertake must allow for the fact that our educational needs will differ, and that we undertake our learning in differing ways. It can encompass learning from all activities that support our work, much of which will be practice based and part of our daily life and others not.[/cs_text][x_gap size="50px"][x_custom_headline level="h5" looks_like="h5" accent="true" class="cs-ta-left man"]Frequently Asked Questions about CPD[/x_custom_headline][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section bg_image="https://thecpdgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/massage2-parralax.png" parallax="true" separator_top_type="none" separator_top_height="50px" separator_top_angle_point="50" separator_bottom_type="none" separator_bottom_height="50px" separator_bottom_angle_point="50" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/2" style="padding: 0px;"][x_accordion link="true" id="faq-1"][x_accordion_item title=""I have been in practice for years – do I really need to do this?"" open="false"]In short - YES.
All professionals need to undertake CPD. As an experienced practitioner who has worked hard to build and maintain a practice, your challenge will be to find something you need to learn that really interests you, is useful to your practice and that keeps your skills and knowledge up to date, these are the courses that the CPD group aim to provide.
[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""I'm a newly qualified practitioner - where do I start?"" open="false"]The challenges of undertaking CPD will be different for you than for more experienced peers and colleagues. Finances may be an issue and it is worth bearing in mind that starting and maintaining your business is part of CPD, as well as consolidating through practice all that you have learned to date.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""This feels just like being back at college…"" open="false"]Many professionals feel like this, especially if they are a recent graduate, the difference is that you set your own direction and courses according to what you find you need to learn to develop as a professional.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""What if I learned other things which I had not set out to learn?"" open="false"]All learning is invaluable and counts; it is entirely acceptable to include a written record of any additional, unplanned learning in your CPD record. The important thing is to do is to record them.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""I don't have time for all this!"" open="false"]Make time… doing something new often requires more of your time to become confident. You should try to work with others to make the process more enjoyable, and focus on what you want to do as well as what you need to do.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""I learn things in informal ways and don't want to lose this?"" open="false"]Just because something is not in your current plan does not mean it cannot be of value. Accidental and unplanned learning can be as valuable and important, especially if you make a quick note to put with your learning needs assessment material in your CPD portfolio. You can then return to it later and follow it up.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""How can I always measure everything?"" open="false"]Generally this is quite subjective, at any point in your career you may feel that you have reached a new level of mastery, especially when you have been in practice for a while. One step you can take is reflecting about what has changed and how it is that a particular situation or aspect of practice no longer causes you the concern it used to. You should then go on to find a way of documenting what has taken place.[/x_accordion_item][/x_accordion][/cs_column][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/2" style="padding: 0px;"][x_accordion link="true" id="faq-2"][x_accordion_item title=""Is there any evidence to suggest that CPD can help my practice?"" open="false"]In 2001 Kyoko Durnall, looked at how acupuncturists supported themselves educationally in the first five years. She observed that new practitioners continued to want to use their books and to upgrade their skills by engaging in CPD courses.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""What if halfway through my PDP I find out I need to learn something else?"" open="false"]A Personal Development Plan is meant to be flexible. If part way through you find something else more urgent you adapt your current plan and create another plan, completed CPD provides part in your portfolio as further evidence of learning.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""This all looks all very good on paper, but how does it relate to my own practice:"" open="false"]Recording significant events or 'sticky moments' works well if the learning affects you, and although we all learn differently, trying some of these methods out will bring you to your own conclusions. Recording and undertaking CPD allows you to reflect on what has brought you to where you are and plan for the future.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""This feels like just another thing I have to do, imposed from those on the outside."" open="false"]Correct, it is, however, it is also the view of the majority of responsible professionals in practice, that some system of CPD is not only necessary, but desirable, and it will prove of benefit to you as an individual and to the profession as a whole. You should not consider CPD to be a chore that you have to get through.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=""I feel too constrained by working like this, what else can I do?"" open="false"]A framework and structure that you use does not have top follow the one outlined above, you can also design and experiment with your own to find out what works best for you. It should though be consistent and structured, and should meet your own individual need.[/x_accordion_item][/x_accordion][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section id="CPD5stages" parallax="true" separator_top_type="none" separator_top_height="50px" separator_top_angle_point="50" separator_bottom_type="none" separator_bottom_height="50px" separator_bottom_angle_point="50" style="margin: 0px;padding: 10px 0px 15px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in-from-top" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][x_gap size="50px"][x_custom_headline level="h5" looks_like="h5" accent="true" class="cs-ta-left man"]We should undertake our CPD in a 5-stage system.[/x_custom_headline][x_gap size="50px"][x_feature_list animation_offset="50" animation_delay_initial="0" animation_delay_between="300"][x_feature_box title="Reflecting" title_color="" text_color="" graphic="icon" graphic_size="50px" graphic_shape="rounded" graphic_color="#ffffff" graphic_bg_color="hsl(236, 24%, 48%)" align_h="left" align_v="top" side_graphic_spacing="25px" max_width="none" child="true" connector_width="3px" connector_style="dashed" connector_color="hsl(33, 92%, 54%)" graphic_icon="eye" graphic_animation="wobble" connector_animation="rubberBand"]Looking back on what you did or how you acted and considering what worked well what didn't. [/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title="Planning" title_color="" text_color="" graphic="icon" graphic_size="50px" graphic_shape="rounded" graphic_color="#ffffff" graphic_bg_color="hsl(236, 24%, 48%)" align_h="left" align_v="top" side_graphic_spacing="25px" max_width="none" child="true" connector_width="3px" connector_style="dashed" connector_color="hsl(33, 92%, 54%)" graphic_icon="calendar" graphic_animation="wobble" connector_animation="rubberBand"]Plan a great educational CPD activity.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title="Undertaking" title_color="" text_color="" graphic="icon" graphic_size="50px" graphic_shape="rounded" graphic_color="#ffffff" graphic_bg_color="hsl(236, 24%, 48%)" align_h="left" align_v="top" side_graphic_spacing="25px" max_width="none" child="true" connector_width="3px" connector_style="dashed" connector_color="hsl(33, 92%, 54%)" graphic_icon="american-sign-language-interpreting" graphic_animation="wobble" connector_animation="rubberBand"]Undertake the CPD activity.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title="Evaluating" title_color="" text_color="" graphic="icon" graphic_size="50px" graphic_shape="rounded" graphic_color="#ffffff" graphic_bg_color="hsl(236, 24%, 48%)" align_h="left" align_v="top" side_graphic_spacing="25px" max_width="none" child="true" connector_width="3px" connector_style="dashed" connector_color="hsl(33, 92%, 54%)" graphic_icon="check-square-o" graphic_animation="wobble" connector_animation="rubberBand"]Think about how what you undertook has had an impact on your practice. [/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title="Recording" title_color="" text_color="" graphic="icon" graphic_size="50px" graphic_shape="rounded" graphic_color="#ffffff" graphic_bg_color="hsl(236, 24%, 48%)" align_h="left" align_v="top" side_graphic_spacing="25px" max_width="none" child="true" connector_width="3px" connector_style="dashed" connector_color="hsl(33, 92%, 54%)" graphic_icon="file-text-o" graphic_animation="wobble" connector_animation="rubberBand"]Don't forget to record it as evidence you've undertaken the CPD activity.[/x_feature_box][/x_feature_list][x_line style="border-top-color: hsl(236, 24%, 48%);border-top-width: 3px;"][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section id="5categories" bg_image="https://thecpdgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/massage11-parralax.png" parallax="true" separator_top_type="none" separator_top_height="50px" separator_top_angle_point="50" separator_bottom_type="none" separator_bottom_height="50px" separator_bottom_angle_point="50" style="margin: 0px;padding: 15px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][x_custom_headline level="h5" looks_like="h5" accent="true" class="cs-ta-left man" style="color: hsl(236, 24%, 48%);"]CPD usually falls into 5 categories
.[/x_custom_headline][x_accordion link="true" ][x_accordion_item title="Work based learning" open="true"][x_columnize]
- Learning by doing
- Case studies
- Reflective practice
- Clinical audit
- Coaching from others
- Discussions with colleagues
- Peer review
- Gaining, and learning from experience
- Involvement in wider work of employer (for example, being a representative on a committee)
- Work shadowing
- Secondments
- Job rotation
- Journal club
- In-service training
- Supervising staff or students
- Visiting other departments and reporting back
- Expanding your role
- Analysing significant events
- Filling in self-assessment questionnaires
- Project work or project management
- Evidence of learning activities undertaken as part of your progression on the Knowledge and Skills Framework
- Involvement in a professional body
- Membership of a specialist interest group
- Lecturing or teaching
- Mentoring
- Being an examiner
- Being a tutor
- Branch meetings
- Organising journal clubs or other specialist groups
- Maintaining or developing specialist skills (for example, musical skills)
- Being an expert witness Membership of other professional bodies or groups
- Giving presentations at conferences
- Organising accredited courses
- Supervising research
- Being a national assessor
- Being promoted
- Courses
- Further education
- Research
- Attending conferences
- Writing articles or papers
- Going to seminars
- Distance learning
- Courses accredited by professional body
- Planning or running a course [/x_columnize]
- Reading journals / articles
- Reviewing books or articles
- Updating knowledge through the Internet or TV
- Keeping a file of your progress [/x_columnize]
- Public service
- Voluntary work
- Courses