CPD accreditation of courses and events
We have a very well-established process for the CPD accreditation of courses and events
This section details all the events which have been accredited for CPD, provides guidance on how an application can be made, including a link to the online form, and describes the processes which are followed during a review.
The Diary HERE details courses and events which have been accredited by the College.
The benefits of CPD event accreditation
The College welcomes applications for CPD accreditation of courses and events. There is no charge for NHS Trusts and hospital boards, registered charities, specialist societies and associations and the benefits of CPD accreditation by the College include the following:
- Event reviews are completed by independent, specialist CPD Assessors, who are clinicians experienced in the subject area. The reviews are only sent to a CPD Assessor after an initial administrative check has been completed by the College CPD Team.
- Accredited events are featured in the Lifelong Learning platform. The CPD functionality in this was significantly enhanced in 2019 following extensive stakeholder feedback.
- Accredited events are also featured on this page on the College website. The diary above is updated weekly and features a direct link for further information, where this has been supplied by the event provider.
- The RCoA’s revalidation logo, which is a registered UK trademark, can be used in the promotional material and on the delegate attendance certificates for accredited events.
- The process of accrediting CPD activities is underpinned by regular quality assurance reviews.
The whole review and accreditation process is based on the Standards and Criteria for CPD Activities - A Framework for Accreditation, as published by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
CPD accreditation of virtual learning events
During COVID-19, CPD events became delivered virtually instead of by face-to-face and this delivery method has continued since by a small number of event providers. Some offer a blended approach with participation in their events available either in person or online. Applications for CPD accreditation of virtual events will continue to follow the same two-stage review process as is currently done for face-to-face events: an initial administrative check at the College followed by the technical check by a CPD Assessor. Applications should be made in the same way as is done for face-to-face events.
CPD accreditation in this way will be conditional on the virtual events featuring some form of interactive learning – e.g. the opportunity for participants to be able to directly ask questions of the faculty either at the end of each of their sessions and/or in a scheduled round-up session or panel discussion at the end. As is the case for face-to-face events, feedback should be requested from the participants, a summary of which should be made available to the College upon request as part of our quality assurance processes.
Making an application for CPD event accreditation
Please read the guidance for event providers before making an application.
The online application form can be accessed HERE.
The CPD Assessors
The College welcomes applications from doctors interested in acting as a CPD Assessor. Full support is provided by the College CPD Team and the Team also sends each CPD Assessor an annual report detailing the event reviews they have completed, for use in their own CPD portfolios. For further information please visit the Get involved section of our website.
CPD event accreditation FAQs
All events which have been accredited for CPD by the College appear in the Lifelong Learning platform. In the great majority of cases all events which have been CPD-accredited will appear in the above Directory. In a small number of cases, for example where events are by invitation only, they will only appear in the Lifelong Learning platform. If you require a confirmation please contact cpd@rcoa.ac.uk.
When multiple versions of an event are planned a full application/review needs to be made for the first version. Thereafter, if accreditation has been given, if the same programme/faculty is being used then the same CPD award will apply for a 12 month period without the need for a new full application to be made every time. However in such a situation the event provider is still required to email to cpd@rcoa.ac.uk a copy of the programme advert/flyer for each version so that this can be added into the Lifelong Learning platform. Please note that CPD accreditation applies for a maximum 12 month period after which a new application will need to be made - even if the same programme/faculty are still being used.
A local event is targeted solely at doctors within a single trust or health board. Local events will be held within the place of employment (or nearby venue) and will count as such even if external speakers are used; the key criterion is the audience for whom the event is being delivered. Local events attract 'internal' CPD credits, which is why the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. These types of events do not need to go through the CPD accreditation process and participation in them should be self-accredited, ie recording one CPD credit for each hour of activity, and accompanied by documented reflective learning.
Applications for CPD approval should be submitted at least six weeks ahead of the event taking place. Consideration will not be given to applications received less than two weeks before the event date and for any applications for retrospective CPD approval.
For events being held outside of the UK, consideration will only be given if a UK-based organisation is hosting the event or has made a significant contribution to its development. In addition, and as previously, consideration for events being held outside of the UK can only be given if it can be demonstrated that the event will be catering for a specialist audience and has content of such a specialist nature that UK-based doctors would travel there specifically to attend.
The College recognises that some events include sessions where delegates practise their skills on each other; one example being intubation under local anaesthetic during fibreoptic endoscopy events. The College is prepared to evaluate such events for CPD accreditation. However, reassurance will be sought that local ethical and Trust indemnity, i.e. legal approval, has been obtained for these events, that the local pharmacy is aware (as appropriate), and that the practical sessions will be carried out under direct supervision, with the opportunity for the procedure to be terminated by the supervisor should this be deemed necessary. Information will also be sought on the consent procedure for the event delegates.
The current charge for commercial event providers is £1,554 inclusive of VAT and this would cover any multiple versions of the event run within a 12 month period. Payment is required upon submission of the application for CPD accreditation and an invoice will be emailed by RCoA Finance. Please also refer to the guidance for event providers for additional information for commercial providers.
We have also accepted some additional doctors onto some of our transfer courses from outside of our region so your calendar of events is certainly supporting them.