Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Introduction to CPD
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
is a process of self assessment, self-directed, lifelong learning
that complements formal undergraduate and postgraduate education
and training. It enables psychiatrists to acquire new knowledge and
skills as well as to maintain and improve their standards across
all areas of their practice. It is essential in order to
demonstrate fitness to practice and thus be revalidated.
The College helps psychiatrists in
this process in a variety of ways:
- Providing a CPD Submissions programme that
records CPD activity and CPD peer group membership and, when the
standard is met, issues a certificate of good standing for
CPD. You can access CPD Submissions via the members'
dashboard.
- Providing guidance and setting standards for
CPD. The requirements for being in good standing with the
College for CPD are set out in the College
report Continuing Professional
Development - Guidance for Psychiatrists (OP98). You may also
want to refer to the CPD user guide.
- Developing a range of accessible online
training modules through CPD
Online.
- A range of
journals including BJPsych Advances that specifically aims to
support psychiatrists in their clinical development.
- Providing a range of resources in relation to revalidation and a revalidation
helpdesk.
CPD Submissions
The CPD Submissions programme is open to
Members, Fellows, Affiliates and Specialist Associates of the
College who can use the programme to demonstrate that they are in
good standing for CPD by:
- being an active member of a peer group that meets at least
four times a year; and
- undertaking at least 50 credits of CPD activity (authorised by
the peer group) annually.
When these minimum requirements have been
met, the College will issue a CPD certificate of good
standing.
CPD guidance documents
Key developments in the new guidance include:
- Psychiatrists involved in any clinical practice will need to
undertake at least 30 hours of 'Clinical' CPD each year to be
in good standing with the College. This is out of a total of at
least 50 hours of peer group-approved CPD activity each year.
- There is no requirement to undertake specific amounts of
'internal' or 'external' CPD but the peer group should support the
psychiatrist to access learning in the most appropriate way.
- During periods of extended leave (sick leave, parental leave or
other career breaks), the psychiatrist can either continue to meet
the requirements of the College's CPD scheme or 'stop the clock'
and resume their CPD on their return to their work. In these
circumstances, a certificate of good standing will not be
issued.
- Reading, if accompanied by evidence of appropriate reflection
can count for up to 5 of the maximum 25 credits allowed for
e-learning.
Frequently asked questions
Getting in touch