Does CPD always have to be accredited?

No.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) does not always need to be formally accredited to be valuable or recognised as part of a professional's learning. Indeed, it would be neither practical nor desirable to restrict CPD to accredited activities.

Some of the most current and credible healthcare education comes from peer-reviewed scientific journals, professional guidance, research reports, webinars and other educational resources that have not undergone a formal CPD accreditation process.

What is CPD accreditation?

CPD accreditation generally involves an external organisation assessing an educational activity or provider against its own defined standards. These may include learning objectives, educational structure, relevance and methods of delivery. Accreditation can provide useful reassurance about the educational process, but the scope, independence and rigour of assessment vary between accreditation organisations.

Importantly, accreditation does not necessarily mean that the scientific accuracy or subject-specific expertise of every educational resource has been independently assessed. Not all accreditation organisations employ specialists in the subject being taught. An accreditation badge should therefore not be regarded as an automatic guarantee of educational quality.

How does accreditation differ from certification?

Accreditation and certification are sometimes used interchangeably, but they mean different things.

• Accreditation generally indicates that an educational activity or provider has been assessed against specified standards by an external organisation.
• Certification usually refers to the award of a certificate confirming participation, completion or, where applicable, achievement of defined learning outcomes.

A certificate of completion is not necessarily evidence that an activity has been independently accredited. Equally, the absence of accreditation does not mean that learning is unsuitable for CPD.

Do different healthcare professions have different CPD requirements?

Yes. Doctors, nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals are subject to different professional frameworks.

• Doctors: The General Medical Council (GMC) expects doctors to undertake CPD relevant to their practice, reflect on their learning and use it to maintain and improve professional performance. The GMC does not prescribe a universal number of CPD hours or points for revalidation, and formal accreditation is not a universal requirement. However, individual professional bodies, employers or specialist programmes may have additional expectations.
• Nurses and midwives: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requires registrants to complete 35 hours of CPD over each three-year revalidation period, including at least 20 hours of participatory learning. Registrants must maintain records of their CPD and complete five written reflective accounts for revalidation. These accounts can draw on CPD, practice-related feedback or other relevant professional experiences. CPD does not have to be formally accredited.
• Allied healthcare professionals: Many allied healthcare professions are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Registrants must maintain a continuous, accurate and up-to-date record of CPD, demonstrate a mixture of learning activities involving at least two different types of learning, and seek to ensure that their CPD improves the quality of their practice and benefits service users. Formal accreditation is not a universal requirement.

Professionals should always check the specific requirements of their regulator, professional body and employer.

What matters most when undertaking CPD?

The greatest value of CPD lies not in the accreditation badge or certificate, but in the credibility of the education, the quality of learning and what the individual does with the knowledge gained.

Whatever the educational activity, professionals should:

1. Choose credible, relevant education. Prioritise trustworthy sources supported by appropriate evidence and subject expertise, rather than relying solely on accreditation status.
2. Record their learning. Document the activity undertaken, the date, the time spent and supporting evidence where appropriate, in accordance with professional requirements.
3. Reflect on what they have learned. Consider how new knowledge relates to existing understanding, professional responsibilities and current practice.
4. Identify how learning will influence practice. Record changes they intend to make, actions already taken or reasons why existing practice remains appropriate.
5. Review the impact. Where possible, demonstrate how learning has contributed to improved professional practice, patient care, service delivery or wider organisational outcomes.

Not every educational activity will lead to an immediate or measurable change in practice. Strengthening understanding, challenging assumptions, confirming existing good practice and informing future decisions are also valuable outcomes.

The specific requirements for documenting and reflecting on CPD vary between regulators. Nevertheless, maintaining a meaningful record of learning and its application is good professional practice.

The CPDmatch perspective

CPDmatch believes that credible, relevant education, meaningful reflection and the application of knowledge are more important than accreditation alone.

This is particularly important in climate, environmental and healthcare education, where scientific understanding is evolving rapidly and some of the most authoritative resources are research publications and reports from recognised scientific and professional institutions.

By recording the time invested, reflecting on what has been learned and identifying how that knowledge can inform future decisions and actions, professionals can demonstrate the value of their CPD, whether or not the educational activity carries an accreditation badge.

Ultimately, the value of CPD should be judged not simply by the certificate received, but by the knowledge gained and the difference that learning makes.