Continuing professional development

All healthcare professionals have a responsibility to identify their continuing professional development (CPD) needs, and work with their employer to plan how those needs could be met. CPD should support their professional and career development, clinical / managerial practice, whilst aligning to patient population health data and the needs of the service.

What is CPD?

CPD helps improve the safety and quality of care provided for patients and the public.

CPD for all professions can include the following:

  • Work-based learning – for example, reflecting on experiences at work, considering feedback from service users/students, shadowing or being shadowed or being a member of a committee
  • Professional activity – for example, being involved with a professional body or giving a presentation at a conference
  • Formal education – for example, attending accredited and non-accredited courses, conferences, webinars, online learning and training modules and carrying out research
  • Self-directed learning – for example, reading articles or books

Please note that mandatory training does not contribute to CPD training hours, unless the training relates to the nurse / AHP’s area of speciality.

Please refer to profession specific guidance for more details:

CPD standards set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) CPD requirements

How to access CPD

CPD funding is available for allied health professionals, mental health practitioners, nurses and nursing associates employed in an NHS General Practice or Primary Care Network. Historically this has equated to a share of approximately £1,000 per learner, to cover three years.

– Advanced practitioners
– Dieticians
– First contact practitioners
– General Practice nurses
– Mental health practitioners
– Midwives
– Nursing associates
– Occupational therapists
– Paramedics
– Physiotherapists
– Podiatrists
– Specialist Primary Care nurse roles e.g. diabetic lead nurse

Personalised care roles, pharmacists and physician associates have other funding streams to access training and development, so are not eligible for this CPD funding.

Colleagues working across TVW can access funded CPD opportunities through the links below:

BOB

Apply for CPD funding via Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Training Hub

Frimley

Individuals in Frimley can access CPD and training opportunities by visiting the Frimley Training Hub website

HIOW

View the Primary Care School’s CPD offer for colleagues in Hampshire and Isle of Wight (HIOW)